Shackled and Bound
by Mr.LucyLu
Summary: Their pasts connected them, in more ways than one. Lee hides his pain behind a smile while Gaara pushes everyone away. Will Lee be able to break into Gaara's heart or will Gaara just seek to break Lee's mask?
1. The Favor

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

Edit: 8/10/2013

* * *

The morning had started off as one of those days he loved the most, bright, sunny, clear and full of life. There was no way he was going to miss out on such a great invitation—courtesy of mother nature—to go outside and enjoy the placid day with its cool, breezy air and warm embrace.

Just as he was about to step out of the threshold of his door for his daily run, the phone broke the silence of his home.

"Hello this is Lee speaking. How may I help you?" Never once did he fail to answer the phone with such civility. He'd been taught by Gai right and no matter how much he was ridiculed by his friends, he would not stoop down and disappoint his father.

"_Hey, Fuzzy Brows, did I wake ya_?"

"Good morning, Naruto. No, you did not wake me. I have been up since the crack of dawn. There is no way I can just let hours go by being unproductive. That would be very unbecoming of me!"

A small chuckle flowed through the line. "As energetic as ever, I see. Well, anyways I wanted to ask a favor of you."

Lee, happy to lend a hand whenever it was needed, blithely acquiesced, "Sure my dear friend. As to what do I owe the pleasure of helping you with?"

"Well, you see, remember the trip Sasuke had won for Italy?"

"Yes. He did not want to go, though."

"Well, I convinced him otherwise so now we'll be spending the rest of the summer enjoying the city of Rome and many others."

Lee, knowing far too well how his friend worked, emitted a stern voice not usually accustomed to him. "Naruto."

"…yes?" The response was hesitant.

"What did you do?"

An insulted blond glared at the phone in his hand, hoping his friend could feel the betrayal he had caused him. How could he not trust his judgment? Better yet, how could he understand him so easily? _Oh right. Best friends, stupid_. "What makes you think I did anything? Can't I just have a very convincing talk with the bastard without people thinking I did something to blackmail him?"

Lee, not falling for his innocent façade only grinned. "I never said anything about blackmail, but when it comes to you and a _convincing talk_, an ultimatum never seems to fail and make an appearance," he chuckled lightly.

Of course, he knew very well how Naruto worked. He had to. Friendships entitled you with a certain degree of knowledge. He himself has fallen captive to his pranks and puppy dog eyes only to end up succumbing to his every request, within reason, of course. They'd been very good friends since grade school, ever since all the kids kept shooting insults his way. The blond ball of energy had stood up behind him against all bullies and defended him when no one else would. From then on, their friendship just flourished. Even now he could feel a mildly annoyed Naruto on the other end of the line. He knew him that well.

"Dammit, Lee! It's creepy how you seem to know me so well! Even _you_ seem like a complete mystery to me, despite all these years. Sometimes, I have a sick feeling you're going to go all postal on me and pussyfoot your way into my room so you can silently kill me in my sleep!"

There was one thing he had to give his whiskered friend credit for, his unpredictable and overly exaggerated imagination. "I am no mystery, Naruto. What you see is what you get. You know everything there is to know about me as I know about you." Even as he said this, there was a bad churn to his stomach.

"If I do not dare to even harm a fly, why would you, my dear friend, be any different?" He asked, his lips curving upwards slightly despite the empty feeling crawling its way up.

"So back to my previous question, what did you do?"

A moment of uncertainty and incoherent mumbles filled the line before Naruto conceded.

"Fine! God! I told him there would be absolutely no more sex for the rest of the year. No nothing, not even a simple kiss or a single touch. When he came on to me, I would move away as quickly as Speedy Gonzales. I would even tease him, you know. Jerk off to his name in a locked room close in his near vicinity so he could just hear what he was going to miss out on and every time I cried his name I could just feel his aura trying to break the door to mere splinters. _Oooh, hoo, hoo_, that _so_ got him!

"After a week, he actually started to believe I was being serious and finally gave in. Of course, he never actually admitted it using that foul mouth of his. Instead, he used his own subtle way. One day there was just a table. The next there was a table with two flight tickets to Rome on top of it! That same night we went at it like bunnies from the added frustration to make up for lost time." A triumphant smile could be felt through the line. Lee didn't even have to know him in order to feel the pride he took for this accomplishment.

"Naruto!" Lee shouted, his face turning a good shade of crimson. He had no problem with his friend's sexuality and even found it endearing how, despite the Uchiha's apathetic demeanor, he could be so patient, sensible and compassionate towards Naruto, who could be quite a handful. Sometimes though, he wished his friend would keep the explicit details to himself, saving Lee the trouble of composing his heated face.

"What? You wanted to know, so I told you. You brought this upon yourself, man. I feel no shame right now."

_Like you ever do_. Lee smiled, nonetheless. He was truly happy for Naruto's new found life. Kami knows he deserved it. Like Lee, he had not lived a very joyous childhood, which is why their bond has remained strong. They took care of each other.

"What else, Blondie?" Lee got himself comfortable on his couch. Knowing Naruto, this could take a while.

"What do you mean what else? That's it he-"

"Naruto…" Again, the firm voice.

"Okay! Enough with the third degree! I told him I would rent the extra room to Sakura, maybe even Ino, shit even Kiba if he didn't say yeah and," a change in intonation worried Lee just a bit, "I told him I would move back in with you since you told me I could come back any time I wanted."

The raven resisted the urge to face palm. "You did not." Somewhere along the way, the Uchiha had fallen to a completely, absurd conclusion that Lee had acquired _more_ than just friendly intentions towards Naruto.

Of course that was certainly not true. Naruto was more like a brother and contrary to popular belief, he was not so much inclined towards his own gender. Sure, he's never had a girlfriend and hung around Naruto as if they were stuck to the hip and lived with him for a while with Iruka's permission, but that did not mean he was attracted to men. Or Naruto. That was just…no. It would feel like incest.

"I did and I'm sorry! So if he goes and burns my room there, I will so totally take it out of his account to fix it. The bastard's got enough to spare. Maybe even buy you a new apartment, God knows you need something worth living in, or better yet a house and-"

A bit exasperated at the subject that never ceased to go away, Lee abruptly stopped him. "Naruto you are not doing that. I'm happy with this place. It has been my home for the best and worst times of my life and I would feel devastated if I had to give it up now." Nothing else could compare to his humble abode. It was his first _real _home after all.

The blond, seemingly determined to get his friend a new place, continued to take a relentless shot at convincing him. "But Lee, one of these days that roof is just going to collapse on your head! It's too small and the neighborhood is fucking dangerous! I can't have you living on a hazard zone! But seriously, if he demolishes my room I **_will _**move you in somewhere better! Believe it!"

"Surely, I will be able to fix it. Do not worry about me, my friend. I will be fine."

"Alright Fuzzy Brows, but I'm serious. Since he knows I have a place to go off to when we have an argument, he would probably make it disappear just to keep me here. I swear he can be such an overprotective as- Sasuke!" Naruto's voice startled. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

Faintly, Lee could hear the passive voice of the Uchiha saying _I live here, Dobe_ and tried hard to stifle his laughter, but to no avail as he just erupted into pure giddiness.

"Lee! What-stop laughing! What's so funny?" Naruto confusedly demanded.

"Nothing. Nothing, my friend. So what is this favor you needed from me?"

A spark of remembrance made its way through the blond's noggin. "Oh, yeah! Thanks for reminding me, Fuzzy Brows. Well, see. Since we'll be gone, I need someone to cover for me at the landscaping job. Iruka would flip if I just left without having a replacement, so I wanted to ask if you could fill-in for me once I leave. I know you've been looking for an extra job to do over the summer, so think of this as an opportunity.

"The pay is pretty good and the tips, well that depends on how generous the people are, are amazing nonetheless. You know Gaara from school, right? Well he's one of those _generous _people, or actually, his dad, but still you get my drift. So do you think you can do it?"

Lee contemplated his answer. Sure this was a great opportunity, but the last time he helped out it hadn't ended so well. One, they were kicked out of the house and two, a valuable customer had been lost. Iruka was upset, but he conceded to the fact that those people were jerks, stingy of their money and very impolite, so the loss didn't really faze him.

Lee, on the other hand, had felt absolutely terrible. Landscaping just wasn't his thing no matter how hard he tried to improve his skills. He was in no way a pessimistic sort of guy, but this was just something he had completely lost hope on. No amount of force would be enough to help him.

Naruto sensed his friend's hesitation and sighed sympathetically. "Look Lee, I know you're worried about what happened last time, but don't sweat it, buddy. That's in the past. I have two weeks before I leave and during those fourteen days I will teach you everything you need to know on how to beautify a lawn. That cool?"

Reluctantly, Lee agreed. For one, he did need the money. He was getting a bit behind on the rent. Two, he needed to start saving up for college. He had neglected his poor piggy bank long enough and it was time he became serious about his future.

"Okay! Awesome! Thanks, Bushy Brows. I owe you big time. I will see you today so we can begin practicing. You will get it, Lee. You don't need to be an artist in order to find ways to embellish something."

"Ohh. Big word there, Blondie. Sasuke is finally rubbing off on you?" Lee teased.

"Lee, shut—Ah! Sasuke, stop it! I'm talking on the phone!" Every word was less distinct on the line as Naruto tried to mute his conversation with his hand.

To Lee's embarrassment, a small moan escaped the confinement of Naruto's palm and reached his side. Once again, he felt his entire blood supply flow to his face in a matter of seconds.

Really, Sasuke could be a bit too much sometimes. This had to be the fifth time he became aroused when he—_specifically_—and Naruto were on the phone and after the first time, he knew to hang up if he didn't want to feel like a voyeur.

The first time had been unexpected. He didn't think Naruto would forget about the conversation they were having. Sadly, to his luck, this had not been true. He had completely forgotten about him, leaving a very much troubled and flustered Lee to figure out his friend would not be answering the phone any time soon.

He had an imagination. It was quite vivid, actually, and he did not need a clear mental picture of what they did behind closed doors. Or open phone lines. Lee felt like he was invading their privacy, despite their obliviousness to his presence. So with a soft spoken goodbye, unheard of by the receiving end, he hung up. Now all he had to do was wait for Naruto to finish his _business_ to call him back and get started on his training_._


	2. The Meeting

**Disclaimer:** Naruto rightfully belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. If it belonged to me there would be Gaalee, Sasunaru, Kakiru everywhere!

* * *

"Awww, Lee, come on, you can do it," a sweaty Naruto egged him on.

"No, Naruto, I can't. I give up for today." Exasperated and fatigued, Lee stopped his so called _progress_, collapsing on the damp pasture. Almost a week and a half had gone by and still Lee could not get the hang of arranging any sort of plant life, placing tiles or creating mock rock springs and waterfalls in an intriguing and sophisticated manner. He just did not have the necessary creativity needed to visualize the art of landscaping. He had gone through many magazines, and so many websites demonstrating the myriad styles that can compose a beautiful and distinguished lawn.

Unfortunately, explaining a style was much easier said than applying it. Not only did he need a creative imagination, but he also needed to know in depth the process of plant life, which soil it would most thrive on, how to determine the quality of the soil, and in what location would the flowers receive adequate sunlight. Biology had never really been his forte, managing to pass his freshman year with a C.

But the plants were not his only enemies. Many of the clients were becoming fond of edgeless, labyrinth like walkways. Why? He wished he knew, but the endless supply of bricks and tiles to place were one step away from driving him towards the edge. One little mistake in the placement and all his work would have doubled, not to mention the cost of his error could probably pay three months of his rent. _'Why can't these people just be happy with a crisp mowed lawn? It's like they want the damn yellow brick road in their own backyard!' _His frustration was evident due to the contraction he had just formed in his inner thoughts.

"Maybe you should call Kiba. He's much better than I am."

"Yeah, and he's also a complete asshole when he's being bossed around. You want me to lose my job Lee?" Naruto asked with a pained, puppy look expression. Although, of course, he would never lose it since his dad was his boss and instead of kicking his butt out, he would make him work double, to the point of deathly exhaustion.

Lee sighed, "No, I would not dream of ever risking your job," the tired raven answered. They had been going at this for hours on a client's backyard who had so graciously loaned it for experimentation. The only visible changes were Naruto's modifications to Lee's failed attempts at flower arranging.

"Well then, are you going to keep trying Fuzzy Brows? Or are you just going to quit? I'm surprised. I never pegged you as the type to give up so easily on a challenge. I bet Gai is even slightly disappointed, but oh well. I guess I will have to find a replacement since you have failed me." His tone of voice was taunting and seemed almost cruel seeing as to who the remark was intended for, but he needed the right motivation and he knew how to rile Lee up.

Of course, the raven head knew what game his blond friend was playing. Lee was a man, and like every man he had pride and an ego to boot, although not quite as haughty, so he knew the words were only being said as a mean to drive him to his full potential.

Finding a strong resolve, Lee perked up. "You are right Naruto. I am not the type of person who gives up and I will not start now." With as much energy and vigor only Lee could muster, he began to work.

* * *

As the sun dipped further into the horizon, the two young males packed their tools and made their way out for their long awaited meal.

"Damn, I'm famished!" A loud growl from Naruto's stomach confirmed.

"See Lee, you're getting better. By the end of this week, you'll be doing all this stuff on your own with no help from me whatsoever. All you need is a little practice and a push. All hope is not yet lost for you." A mirthful Naruto boasted.

"Yosh! Thank you Blondie. A push was all I needed, though I do wish I could have a fraction of that artistic talent you own. You have such a keen eye for beauty. It is such a youthful trait of yours."

While driving, the blond grinned timidly. It was rare for him to receive a compliment, not from Lee of course, but he was just not accustomed to such praises. "Thanks man, and yours is that persevering attitude."

Lee smiled widely. "Why thank you!"

As they made their way to chick-fil-a, they noticed a black 67' Chevy Impala making its way to the parking lot. (1)

"Whooo! That's the car of my dreams, man. Lucky the bastard who owns it." Naruto uttered in reverence.

Just as he finished his statement, three people came out from the vehicle. One with blazing fire red hair dressed in a black t-shirt under a red buttoned up shirt and loose fitted jeans with black chucks, the other, a blond female clothed in a purple tank top and black cargo pants with purple chucks, and the last of them, a tall, spiky haired brunette in a brown, baggy, hooded sweatshirt and black cargo shorts filled with chains of all sizes completed with black and white Nike high tops made their way into the fast food place. Despite the simplicity of their clothing, their presence demanded attention. All three stood tall and firm with confidence oozing out from every movement of their limbs as they made their way to the door. All heads turned in awe, taking in the sight of what belonged in cover magazines.

Lee watched with mesmerized eyes. He had never seen Gaara aside from his school uniform, or out of school for that matter. The sight was just a bit too much to take in. All three had a different sense of beauty, yet carried a cold, menacing aura which all brought unknowing chills to run through his body.

As he kept staring, Gaara suddenly stopped and turned his gaze sideways, locking his turquoise orbs with Lee's obsidian eyes. It was just a few seconds, but Lee felt his body turn rigid under the scrutinizing eyes of the red head. There was no emotion in them, nothing to signify life within him, just empty hollows which seemed to be mere decorations on his pale face.

Naruto's sudden outburst broke the spell he seemed to have been put under. "Of course it had to be Gaara, how did I not see it coming? That bastard can buy anything in an instant that would take us normal people years to pay off!" Naruto grumbled, slamming the door of his orange 96' Mazda pick up.

Lee chuckled at his friend's behavior. Anything that dealt with money and luxuries always seemed to aggravate him. "All you have to do is save up Naruto, instead of spending it at the arcade or the movies." That only got him a glare, a failed attempt at that, before Naruto laughed.

"I guess you're right. I just don't have the discipline to save, Fuzzy Brows. I'm not like you. If I see something I want I get it no matter how much I have to spend. Even the Teme scolds me when I do that, all acting like an overbearing mother and what not."

"Well of course, somebody has to put some sense into you and teach you how to save," Lee acquiesced. Just as they were about to open the fast-food's door, a yell stopped them in their tracks.

"YO! Blondie, Lee! Wait up!" Kiba shouted as he ran towards them with the rest of the crew in tow.

"Hey guys! You comin' to eat too?" Naruto laughed, as Kiba stopped, breathless with a sleeping Akamaru in his arms.

"Yeah, dog breath here's buying," Sasuke filled in, going behind his blond and wrapping his arms around his waist. "You stink," he said to his ear as he placed a kiss on Naruto's neck.

"Well, what do you expect after working eight hours in the blazing hot sun?" Naruto responded, giving the raven more room in his neck to kiss on.

"Can't you guys get a room? We're here because we have an appetite, we don't want to lose it mere inches from the door." That earned him a punch to the shoulder from Tenten, who secretly loved seeing the affection the two so sweetly displayed.

"You're just jealous Kiba since you can't seem to get laid." She smirked as she saw the contortion of Kiba's face from the truth of the fact. How she loved messing with him.

"Says the girl who can't get any herself!" He so cleverly retorted.

A snort was heard in unison as they all ignored his remark. "Just because she can't get any from guys doesn't mean she hasn't gotten any," Ino smirked as she saw Kiba's defeated face and hurried off to place her arms around her girlfriend's waist.

"Give it up man, you never win against them," Chouji sympathized between munches as he followed the rest of the group in, Hinata, Shikamaru and Shino following right behind him, all shaking their heads.

After ordering, the group sat, noisily disturbing the rest of the customers.

"God I'm so fuckin' tired! I can't wait to go home and lay on my comfy bed!" Naruto groaned as he placed his head down on the cool table.

"You know you're not getting any sleep once you hit home with that horny beast next to you," Tenten mischievously grinned, enjoying the splash of red that rarely tinted Naruto's face.

"TENTEN!" Lee shrieked. He did not need any more visuals, and with the way Kiba's eyes widened, he was glad somebody shared his pain. Thank goodness that, unlike the poor brunette, he had not walked in on the two lovers. Seeing the real thing would surely drain his blood and take him away from existence.

"You seem to know us so well, Tenten. I won't be surprised to find a camera installed in our house," Sasuke smirked, amused.

"I'm surprised you haven't found it Uchiha," a devilish glint engulfed the female's eyes, ignoring her girlfriend's pinch.

"How do you guys not feel uncomfortable?" He asked around the table.

"We just don't think about it. Simple as that," a bored Shikamaru answered, his gaze glued outside the window.

Just as the atmosphere was beginning to feel more awkward, the food was brought in by Chouji, relieving some of the discomfort.

"FOOD!" Both Naruto and Kiba yelled at the same time.

As they grabbed their rightful orders, a shadow loomed over them.

"Excuse me, but can you all shut your traps and let the rest of us eat in peace?" An irritated blonde scowled at them.

"Oh. I'm sorry, you're free to leave you know," Tenten responded, pissed at being told what to do so rudely.

"Tenten, leave it alone," Ino hissed in her ear. She knew her girlfriend, and she was itching for a fight.

Before Temari could utter a word in response, Shikamaru apologized "I'm sorry we'll turn our volume down, but next time don't be so rude, you can always ask politely."

Temari, shocked to have been reprimanded for her way of speaking turned to the owner of the voice, who was looking at her intently, waiting for her departure.

"Hey Temari," Naruto addressed her, "I'm sorry we'll keep it down." After years of working on her yard, he knew that a pissed Temari meant bloodshed. "We didn't know we were being too loud."

Lee watched the interaction between Temari and his friends. Her posture was stiff as if restraining herself from punching the daylights out of Tenten. Before any damage was done, he stood up amidst the stillness of the room, turned to everyone and bowed.

"Please excuse us. Our youthful selves did not mean to cause such a commotion. I hope you can forgive us." Turning to Temari, he bowed again. "Please Ms. Temari, I would like to offer our most sincere apology. As a token of our apology, I would like to pay for your meal for all the trouble we caused you."

Among the faces of the costumers, their annoyance subdued. '_At least there's still hope among the youth today' _they thought.

With a big sigh and after three apologies, one which was more of a scold than an apology, Temari conceded. "Fine kid, but if I'm stuck with you all again in the future and I have to deal with this crap, I won't be so nice next time. Don't worry about paying I can't take money away from a decent kid like yourself, no matter how weird he looks." As she walked away, she directed her gaze at Naruto. "I'll make you practice with me again if I have to deal with this one more time."

With a gulp, Naruto nodded and grinned. "Sure, thing," and with that she left their space.

"God she's fucking scary," Naruto shuddered, taking a bite of his fries.

"How do you know her exactly? Kiba questioned with his mouth full.

"She's one of Iruka's costumers. Her dad pays big bucks to have his yard changed every three months. It's a bitch to take everything apart after such a short time, but the reward makes up for it."

"W-w-what did she m-mean about y-you p-practicing with her?" Hinata quietly asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Lee grinned and Sasuke snorted, knowing exactly what that meant. Every time he came back from the Sabaku household, whines never failed to fill their ears.

"I don't want to talk about it," muttered the blond.

As Lee began to dig into his chicken sandwich, he felt a chill run down his spine. Afraid to look up, he surreptitiously looked to his right, then to his left before his gaze fastened on those glacial eyes he had encountered earlier.

The spell he had been on the first time was put on him again. Those eyes stared him down with as much emotion one would give a rock, but the fact that he was staring was enough to halt his breathing, and increase his palpitations. Those eyes were like nothing he'd ever seen before. Even the most strongest of men would cower down from the gaze of such eyes. Those teal orbs, encircled by black eyeliner could make anyone feel inferior. After a fierce struggle, he finally looked away only to feel the scrutiny of those eyes drilling holes on his body.

Gradually, he began to lose the fear that had summoned deep within, only to be replaced by uneasiness. The only time people stared at him was when they were about to insult him for his appearance. He knew his features were somewhat…weird, never being one to turn heads, and if they did, it was for sheer repulsion. He knew he was not handsome like Sasuke, Neji, Naruto, or even Kiba, but he did not see the reason for people putting him down just for his looks.

As Gaara stared, Lee's self-consciousness made him squirm in his seat. Anger, slowly started to boil as his warm, amiable eyes hardened. He had now lost his appetite, and only wished those eyes would go away. The taunts and insults he had sealed away, made their way tenfold from the back of his mind, breaking the door to his sanity. Years of constant bullying began to relive themselves in his mind, the mockery he had to endure due to the close-minded individuals who got off from hurting the weak, enjoying the cries of mercy.

'_That day, oh god please not that day!'_

"Stop it, stop it, stop it," he kept mumbling to himself, rocking back and forth. He could still feel it, that gaze, penetrating into his soul, waiting to see him break.

Fighting off Sasuke, Naruto did not seem to notice Lee's distress until Hinata's small voice caught his ears.

"Lee," she shook him, "Lee a-are you o-okay?" Terror-stricken eyes met lavender. "Lee!" She gasped, loud enough for the table to hear.

Finally, Naruto took notice, his eyes widened. "_Shit! Who's-" _he looked around localizing the cause of his friend's torment.

"GAARA!" Dark rimmed eyes locked on to his, "Look away! NOW!" he demanded viciously.

The table looked from Naruto, who's coldness surprised them to Gaara who did not seemed fazed, and finally to Lee.

"Hey man, you ok?" Kiba's furrowed eyebrows showing genuine concern with a hint of hate towards the red head.

Swiftly, Naruto made his way towards Lee, much to his boyfriend's displeasure.

As carefully as Naruto could manage, he picked Lee up, placed a hand under his arms and led him out the establishment. Once outside, he hugged the trembling raven, rubbing comforting circles on his back to sooth him.

"Lee, come on buddy, calm down. Everything's okay. That bastard doesn't mean anything when he stares, he's….just creepy like that."

'_Fuck, why did that dumbass decide to set his sight on Lee here.'_

Naruto cursed. He cursed himself for not noticing fast enough, he cursed Gaara and his social ineptness, he cursed those who had made Lee suffer all his life. The kid never got a break before the next tragedy hit. He wished he could take some of his pain away; Naruto's pain could hardly compare to Lee's.

He hated seeing this part of him. He had grown to become a man who fears nothing, who ignores the stares, who brushes off the negatives, never seeing anything for the bad and always looking for the good, someone who forgives easily and laughs with sincerity. He was the epitome of strength, of resilience. So to see him break, it shattered his own heart to pieces.

"He.. ot…. staing…. aeemo?"

Naruto chuckled lightly at the muffled whisper. "No, he's not staring anymore."

A few minutes passed with them in the same position, until the Sabaku siblings stepped out.

Naruto turned his head as they passed in front of him. He felt Lee stiffen when Kankuro scoffed and uttered a 'crybaby' and only hugged Lee tighter. Gaara set his eyes on them for a moment before he walked away, a small curve of his lips making its way to his face.

Temari on the other hand, had more empathy. Before following her brothers, she turned to Lee and placed a comforting hand on his shoulders. "Hey kid, I'm sorry. Those two can be real douches sometimes, but don't take it to heart."

Lee slowly nodded, his head still buried on Naruto's shoulder.

"Naruto," she smiled threateningly, "I'll see you during the summer." With an awkward goodbye, she went off towards the car.

After a few more minutes, Naruto spoke. "Lee, come on I'll take you home."

"What about the food? You were hungry."

"Ah, don't worry about it. Chik-fil-a is good, but nothing compares to my ramen." With a bright smile he placed his hand on Lee's shoulder and led him to his truck.

"Hey Naruto, how long would I have to work on Gaara's house?"

'_Shit! I forgot.' _

"You don't have to. I'll just tell Iruka there'll be one less on the team."

"No. I promised you I would do it and I will not go back on my word."

"Lee, are you sure? It's fine if you don't want to. I'm not going to force you."

"It is fine, Naruto. Seriously." Lee's voice became smaller as he continued," I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I don't know how it became so bad. I can usually brush them off but his eyes, they….they were different."

"Different? How?"

"I don't know. I can't really explain it they just….were."

The rest of the ride towards Lee's house was made in silence. As Naruto parked in front of the broken down apartments, he spoke up. "Lee, you seriously need to move. You're not safe here."

Sighing, Lee opened his door and got off. "I will be fine. I promise. Thank you for the ride…thank you for everything," he spoke his eyes downcast.

Naruto looked at Lee critically before speaking, "It will be a month, depending on the speed in which you finish. Take care, Lee. Alright? I'll see you tomorrow."

With that he drove off, leaving a fragile Lee behind.

'_A month. It's just a month, Lee. After that you won't see those eyes anymore.'_

* * *

The wind howled, as the darkness blanketed the cooling night.

On the other side of town a young red head sat in the darkness of his room, staring at the full moon, reminding him of those round, ebony orbs that said so much yet hid much more.


	3. The Questions

**Disclaimer**: I have no right to call Naruto mine.

* * *

Deep within a room surrounded by darkness, a muffled, perpetual ringing echoed throughout the emptiness of the chamber. Although it was morning, not a single sliver of light penetrated the tinted windows, draped by think mahogany curtains. In the middle of the room stood a canopy bed, enclosed by silk, claret drapes. Small, impatient groans could be heard from under the thick covers of the king-sized bed. A hand shot out from within the sheets feeling clumsily for the contraption that interrupted the silence of the room. Within seconds the device was found, grabbed and violently tossed to the wall, shattering the poor alarm clock.

Usually the young male presented a calm, collected exterior, never wanting unnecessary attention, but mornings and the red head never seemed to go hand in hand. He grunted and moved back into a comfortable position, letting sleep overtake his body once again. This was what he hated most about sleeping, having to wake up when he had finally reached a point of exhaustion that allowed him to rest. As he settled back into that state of tranquility, the door slowly creaked, indicating an approaching presence.

"Gaara…." a small, tentative voice called out, "come on wake up you're going to be late at this rate."

A gruff '_hn_' was all Temari received in response.

She sighed before heading towards the curtains, snagging them from place. letting as much light the tinted windows allowed into the bedroom, doing the same thing to drapes around the bed.

"Come on kiddo, it's the last day. After this you can sleep in as much as you'd like during the summer," she motioned to the bundled bulge on the bed.

Gaara just grunted, grabbing the pillow next to him and sliding it under the covers, placing it over his head to shut out the unwanted noise.

A small grin made its way to his sister's face as she watched the red head, who was blatantly ignoring her. "Oh, now are you trying to block me out, dear brother? Hmm, I guess I'll have to come back with my bucket of water like last time." She smiled deviously when she saw an eye pocking out from the confinement of the covers, giving her a, what she thought was supposed to be a _go away and die_ glare, only it looked more like a pained impression of a puppy dog look.

After minutes of a heated, not so daunting stare, the boy conceded, sluggishly removing the covers to reveal messy crimson locks, a pale, sleepy face and half of his bare chest. The crisp air in the room only helped wake the boy up further, covering him in goose bumps. He sat up, rubbing lazily against his half lidded eyes, getting rid of the sand boogers in the corners.

Temari watched the action, smiling sadly at the rare idiosyncrasy that composed her brother. He acted just as an adult would, yet when she saw him like this, early in the morning, he only reminded her of the fact that he was still just a mere child who had been abruptly thrown into the world of responsibilities without his consent. He was the youngest and yet dealt with much more she ever had his age. As she contemplated, Gaara slowly began to come into consciousness moving to the edge of the bed and hissing once his feet came in contact with the freezing floor. Just as he was about to change his boxers, he remembered the intrusion in his room.

With his back turned to her, he addressed her. "Do you mind?" His voice only came out groggy, causing a laugh from Temari.

With a smirk plastered on her face she only kept staring. "Not really. Why? You ashamed or something? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before. I used to change your diapers, so unless you grew something abnormal or out of place recently, I don't see what the big deal is."

Gaara scowled, menacingly, his glare bearing holes onto the floor board. "Temari…Get out." The volume of his demand was low, barely a whisper, but the tone would have cut steel.

"Oh, god, fine. You'd think I'd get a little appreciation of going out of my way to come and wake you and the lazy ass, but nooo. All I get is and irritated order out of the room. By the way that's the fifth clock this week. I'm not getting you any more since you can't grasp the concept of turning it off gently."

She made her way out of the room leaving quite pleased with the interaction. If somebody told her she would be on friendly…er tolerable speaking terms with her highly deranged brother, she would have laughed in their face after beating them to a bloody pulp for even mentioning the possibility.

The years had been rough. Days of constant struggle against a tangible hatred directed towards the youngest Sabaku had turned their world for the worst. The tension slowly ebbed away once she realized the role she had to take on. The death of their mother had been painful, an intensive grievance none of them were ready to combat. She and Kankuro had been mere kids when the accident happened. They did not know how to handle such a loss, an essential one to their lives at that, and found that the quickest way to rid the pain was to point and blame, find someone to accuse for the misery they had to endure. From that point on, a four year old began to be ostracized for a mistake he unknowingly committed.

It wasn't until the day she was forced to stay at home due to the change in weather, that she became conscious of the fact that she had not been the only one hurt, nor had Kankuro or her father. After finding a soaking twelve year old curled into a fetal position with a stuffed bear, calling out for his mom amongst the garden their mother used to tend to so lovingly, did she fathomed the tortuous ache Gaara had been victimized to deal with, not only by the death itself but from the cruelness of his own family. The neglect they directed towards him had tremendously damaged his psyche. He had been blamed, resented, reproached and forgotten, which all sunk in little by little deep into his soul, causing the distance he put between himself and another, purging himself of all emotions that rendered man weak.

Everyday after, regret coiled within her heart. She had never meant to cause her little brother harm, nor was it her intent to make him feel guilty for something he could not be blamed for. There was never a day that she did not wish to take back every word that had harmed the youngest Sabaku and turned him into the stoic man that he was. She yearned to take every regret culminating her revenge and shove it up her uncle's ass inflicting him far greater pains hell provided for the damage he had deeply contributed to Gaara's mentality. And she only hoped the future would hold brighter prospects for the love deprived child. Now all she wished to do was find atonement and redeem the relationship between the three of them. The change was slow, but subtly noticeable and she was glad for the progress.

As she made her way downstairs, she could already smell the fresh aroma of bacon, eggs and waffles. Surely, if she never learned how to cook, she knew just where to go to find something deliciously edible, even if she had to beat her brother to death in order to obtain it.

"Hey my peasant, breakfast almost done?" She asked as she propped her elbows on the counter, watching Kankuro cook.

"Hn."

"Well I'll be, if I didn't know you or Gaara I would have sworn you two are brothers," she smirked, ducking her head from the egg an annoyed brunette threw at her.

"Shit, what's got your panties in a twist?"

"You, you damn devil, you wake me up at five just to make breakfast and just demand, demand, demand. Aren't you a woman? It may be the 21st century, but that doesn't mean you can't learn how to cook at least something simple as eggs."

"Now, why would I want to do that when I have you around to be my personal slave?"

"Dammit Temari, you have to learn at least something, how do you expect to charm that guy who shut you up if you can't even make some eggs? Don't you know you win a man's heart by his stomach? Don't try to deny it either I saw how you kept giving him goggling glances. That guy had balls, though I'm still surprised you let him keep them." He chuckled at the mere though of his sister cooking. The last time she tried she nearly burned her eyebrows. Now that image put him in a fit of roaring laughter, not only would he have a browless brother, but a sister to boot too.

Temari only glowered, throwing a spoon to the back of her brother's head.

"Oww! What the fuck," he faced Temari, rubbing the back of his head.

"Damn cougar.," he muttered under his breath, as he placed her plate in front of her.

"What?"

"I said do you want some sugar…for…your…coffee."

The blond only smirked. "Yeah, I though so. And yes please." As she looked down on her plate she discovered a picture on her waffles. "And what is this supposed to be?"

"Can't you see? It's clearly depicting you as the person you really are. The devil with the face of a woman. Funny though, I always though Itachi was the lord of the underworld, but you proved me wrong."

"You're trying to get castrated aren't you? Shukaku would sure love a new variety of meat." She shot him a look, one that spoke volumes of the hurt she would inflict if he kept talking.

Turning around towards the cabinet, disdainfully mimicking his sister, he didn't realize the presence leaning against the threshold, a small smirk grazed upon his lips. He almost yelped in surprise when he saw the red head, and managed to keep Gaara's plate safe from splattering on the floor.

"Fucking shit! Don't do that! Especially when I have food on my hands."

Gaara walked towards his brother taking the plate from his hands and settling down on the island. He would never admit it, but Kankuro was a good cook, especially his waffles.

"So how are you going to spend your last day of junior year kid? You should hang out with that Uzumaki kid, you need some excitement in your life once in a while and that brat's got more than enough energy to spare." Kankuro cringed at the thought of the blond. He was too much at times.

"Don't want to."

"Lighten up kiddo it would do you some good to interact outside of yourself. That Hyuuga and Uchiha are damn replicas of you. Think of this as an opportunity to congregate with people you will most likely have to associate later on in the business. Who knows, Uzumaki may end up working under you and you need to know how to handle him."

"Like I said, I don't want to." Each word was enunciated with such precision, both older siblings gave up.

"Fine. Do whatever you'd like." The brunette capitulated.

Gaara stared, but he did not only he stared, he analyzed. A couple of years back, one would never find this picture of the three siblings near each other, or more specifically near Gaara. There had been such a fierce animosity between them and himself that they couldn't be in the same room without insults or the occasional bloody nose. Now, everything had been turned around. Here he was, eating peacefully, watching the scene play before him, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Yes, they had made much progress over the past five years, and deep, very deep inside of him, he was grateful. His sister had taken the role of a mother, amending and fortifying the bonds they lacked, putting up with his aloofness, Kankuro's rebellious stage, the fights they constantly engaged in. Temari had dealt with a big load, but it was the fact that she tried, and kept trying that eventually opened a piece of his recognition to her.

Kankuro on the other hand, well their brawls slowly came to a stop. The day those stupid armed bastards who surrounded Gaara probably helped too. A brotherly instinct had suddenly ignited in the brunette's heart when he found his younger brother beaten and bruised, with an unequal disadvantage of six to one. Four of those bastards though, had already been dealt with leaving Kankuro the pleasure of finishing the last two left. Gaara only stared at his brother with distaste. It wasn't until an unsuspecting swing to Gaara's side that he stared questioningly at his brother. There, standing between himself and the thug was his older brother, with a stab to his side.

Many emotions unknown to Gaara seeped through his body: hate, surprise, rage, vengeance, confusion. Once he saw the blood flowing from his brother's body he lost it, pounding the shit out of the fool that dared puncture his own kin. He could not fathom the wrath the consumed him when his brother was injured but something just clicked, like when his sister pushed him out of the way and took the slap his father had directed at him.

Somewhere along the way, Gaara began to believe the intentions of his siblings, he was still iffy about some things, not having the comprehending essence about the works of family, but somehow he understood the desire to protect and gained the vindictive aspect against all those who dared to harm him or his siblings. This wasn't to say that their relationship was all rainbows and butterflies, but step by step the ice was breaking.

As he finished his last bite, he gave one last meaningful look at the picture before him. Standing up and placing his plate on the dishwasher he signaled a goodbye to the still bickering relatives. Sliding his bag over his shoulder, he made his way to his car, revving through his driveway, enjoying the calming purr of the engine and the gentle pulse of the music.

The speedy drive brought him to a barely changed red light, where unnoticed by him, an energetic raven made his own way to school, jogging the drowsiness away.

* * *

The morning had begun right. Small chirpings made their way through bare windows in a placid frequency. Years of waking up for his daily routine had implanted an internal clock on the young raven's head, never waking up a minute late. Even if he hadn't been forced to keep his left arm and leg active, he himself would have planned out a daily exercise plan, fit to fulfill the required needs his lifestyle demanded. Never being one to stand idly, he had become one of the best athletes his school had ever produced.

At five A.M. he would be up and ready, having taken a shower and eaten a filling breakfast before starting his morning exercises: two sets of 250 pushups, 3 sets of 250 sit-ups, two sets of 200 pull-ups and threes sets of 100 squats. This was just his light morning routine before his jog to school. As the clock hit 7 a.m. he was out of the door.

Running to school was his pleasure, it allowed him time to think things through and provided him with a clear head for decisions he had to make. Tomorrow he would be going to the house of the person who was able to bring such painful memories back with just a stare. He did not know how that had happened since he was usually able to shrug them off and keep on smiling, despite the uneasiness they made him feel. He was never one to blame people for the discomfort they created, but he wished they could be more subtle about it.

Now there was Gaara. If what Naruto told him was true, then he should have no worries about the looks he got from the red head. He only stared when he encountered something he did not understand and apparently, Lee had been something which had baffled the young Sabaku. Like Naruto, Lee was a strange specimen in the eyes of the world. One was a ball of laughter, of sunshine with the ability to attract attention and supply a contagion of joy. The other was more modest, honorable, with a genuine heart that sought nothing more than to help those who needed help with an optimistic view of the world, willing to forgive and forget. This apparently, had gotten Gaara's attention, the fact that he was willing to make up for something others around him had obviously caused. Those that knew Lee were used to his behavior, but those who didn't found it intriguing.

Having this information about the red head appeased some of his thoughts, but knowing he had no ill intention planned out did not shake away the remembrance of those green, glass like orbs. They made him feel so vulnerable and had opened so many of those painful memories he tried so hard to suppress. It was as if Gaara saw all the insecurities he hid so well from others, trying to understand why, using his eyes as a mirror to reflect the actual person he was inside.

That was what terrified Lee the most. Only Naruto knew some of the emotions he harbored inside, and even still there were some thing he kept hidden from the blond. He knew he would be a burden if he voiced them out so he preferred to keep those thoughts only to himself, but Gaara seemed to have dug deep enough to where those thoughts sat. Gaara did not even know him and yet he had done something with that stare to break the seal he kept on that part of his mind as effortlessly as cutting a leaf in half.

As he ran, he shuddered slightly, and only increased his speed, focusing more on breathing than anything else. He was just now a few minutes away from the school campus and sighed in relief. He was always early to school, and hour too early to be exact, but it gave him the privacy he needed in the locker room. Just as he was about to head off to the track he noticed his bandage coming loose and sat down on the bench to tighten it. Unbeknownst to him, another figure had decided to make his way to the locker room.

"After years of putting them on I still can not wrap them properly," he laughed quietly to himself. There was really no need for the bandages in his right arm, but he would rather keep both of them wrapped in order to ward off questions about why he only kept one covered. The same with his legs, though sweat pants usually kept them hidden. Before, his friends had asked him the reason for his bandages. His simple answer, to soak up the sweat. He was proud of his body, no doubt about that, and had no need to cover it up, but the scars that ran through it were something he wanted nobody to see. His marred skin brought disgust to himself, knowing far too well it would only bring him unwanted attention, that and sympathy, which he did not need.

"Well hopefully that will hold it," he smiled proudly, sticking his thumb out in his renown nice guy pose.

As he made his way to the door that led to the track, he bumped forehead to forehead into another, staggering backwards and keeping hold of the other's shoulder to stop him from falling.

"Oomph! Oh! I am so sorry I did not see you there! Are you hurt? Do you need something?" His overly protective nature came on full force, willing to do anything for the person if he had been injured, ignoring his own throbbing pain. This clouded his mind for a moment before he realized _who _he had bumped into exactly.

Gaara's eyes were downcast, rubbing his forehead slowly. "No, I'm fine. Look where you're going next time." Cautiously he lifted his head, seeing the cause of his dizziness.

The only reason Lee did not jump back abruptly as soon as he saw those eyes was due to his back being pressed against the side of the lockers. His arm though, flew off from the red head's shoulder instantly as a startled eep made its way to his lips.

In a blink of an eye Lee had bowed his head lower than when he did with Temari, apologized and flew out of the doors in a flash. The only evidence of him ever being in the room was a slightly wide eyed Gaara continuously rubbing his forehead.

'_It's him' _he thought as he continued to stare at the spot Lee had previously stood in. He had always come in at least an hour early to school to practice in the ring without any disturbance, but he had never come across the raven, not once in all three years. Ever since three days ago he was left puzzled by the eccentricities of the other male. Not only that, but his eyes held something within them that reminded Gaara of himself. Just thinking of them had left Gaara in a state of uncertainty and he did not know why, which was what frustrated him the most. He hated not understanding. It made him feel foolish, ignorant.

His curiosity got the better of him as he opted to skip his training to watch Lee, hoping to get some answers to his unasked questions.

* * *

Lee ran. Where he was going and how fast he did not know. All he knew was that he needed to get out of that room that had contained the cause of his returning distress. An hour passed before he knew it when the bell signaled the beginning of first period. Luckily, he had athletics so he still had time to cool his head. As the other athletes made their way to the field, Lee joined them to wait for instruction. He stretched while waiting, until he saw his blond friend and beamed a radiant smile at his direction.

"Lee! How you feeling man?" He slapped a hand on Lee's back bringing him in a headlock.

Lee laughed has he pried off his friend, tickling his sides. "I am doing pretty good. After my morning jog, I always feel refreshed."

"Jog my ass. You practically haul ass when you jog that you leave me exhausted. And I'm just watching you sitting down!" The blond exclaimed, joining Lee in stretching. "It's no wonder the track coach makes a big deal out of you. So you ready for our last game as juniors?" It was a tradition to have a last soccer game at the end of every year in Konoha high and fortunately Suna high had been more than pleased to incorporate it in their school as well.

"Naruto, I just like running so I give it my best and yes, I am more than ready. The adrenaline is slowly building up right now."

"Okay, good. We're going to need as many goals as we can get, those Suna guys are getting even more fierce every passing year."

"Oww! Lee, my back, it can't bend that much!"

His excitement for the game had sidetracked his mind that he forgot he was leaning all his weight on his friend's back. "Oh, sorry!"

The blond chuckled, "No wonder the bastard gets jealous, you make me groan for totally different reasons!" He began to laugh hysterically as he thought of his boyfriend, causing a bunch of the guys to look their way in disgust.

Now, Lee would never hit anyone, but he believed that comment deserved a good whack to the head.

"Oww! Shit, that fucking hurt!"

"Yes, well next time, save those comments when I'm not easily prone to death," he giggled inwardly as he stared at the pissed off Uchiha from the bleachers.

He had gym with Gemna, who couldn't care less if the brats were there or not, so the Uchiha took the time to stare at his blond for forty five minutes instead.

While looking at the overprotective lover something caught Lee's eye. There at the top of the bleacher's corner was a red head, more specifically there was Gaara, staring straight at Lee.

Lee's jaw dropped in shock. _'Why is he there? No, better question, how long has he been there?' _It was only now that Lee realized he was still wearing the same shorts and hoodie as when they collided. '_So he has been there since I started running? Why…' _

He was driven out of his state of disbelief by a whistle, signaling the boys to hit the showers early as an end of the year gift. Lee ran after Naruto entering the locker room. He sighed a breath a relief once he was out of the red head's sight and waited until everyone had taken a shower. Most of the guys always snickered and joked nastily to themselves about Lee wanting his privacy to jerk off to any of their names, since they deemed him gay.

Lee, of course, knew of the rumors about him circling the student body, but he did not let that faze him. He knew himself and was satisfied with that, plus a certain pink haired lady held his heart, though his heart did not hold hers, but that did not matter for he was sure he would win her love with his perseverance and devotion to her. He just knew it.

When the last guy left he began to unwrap his bandages. He would surely be late for second period but luckily he got along well with Raidou to convince him if he could be a few minutes late, plus it was the last day of school. After he undressed himself, he grabbed a towel and stepped into the scalding spray of water. He hissed as it came in contact with his skin, but welcomed the relaxing feeling it brought to his sore muscles as they unwind.

Quickly, he shampooed his hair and lathered his body, lingering on the uneven trail of his skin a bit longer than normal. He looked down to his left arm and winced. He could never look at the mess the accident left on his body with a detached glance. He could still feel the pain on his limbs sometimes, never letting him forget the day.

With a small intake of breath, he finished up and dried himself. He snatched a clean pair of boxers, put on his uniform pants slid on his wife beater and sat down on the bench, wrapping the bandages on his arms.

While he focused on the task meticulously in order to prevent the fabric from coming loose, he failed to notice the presence of the person he wanted to see the least, staring through the reflection of the mirror on Lee's isle of lockers.

Gaara had made his way to the locker room just after he knew all the jocks would be out. He would be late, but teachers never counted that against him, all thanks to his influence. They would never try to do anything that would give the Sabakus and incentive to fire them somehow and as long as he did their work, they stayed out of his business.

He hadn't even noticed that one person had stayed behind until he heard the shower turn on and saw the clothes on the bench. Wanting to avoid an altercation with one of the jocks, he changed into his uniform clothes as quietly as he could and was about to head out the door when he saw who the other person was. Apparently Lee, as he had found out the boys name on the field, liked his privacy. It wasn't until he silently trudged closer to a mirror reflecting Lee's left side that he assumed the reason for him staying behind.

The raven was close enough to the mirror for Gaara to see a slight deformation on the ravens arm. He could not see the extent of it, but it was clear on Lee's face that he did not like that particular part of his body. After he had hidden his entire arm behind the white bandages, he saw as Lee put on his white, long-sleeved shirt concealing more of his arms from view and finally his blazer.

Suddenly, Gaara became angry as questions overflowed his mind. How could one person fill him with such ambiguity, such confusion and he hadn't even directed more than ten words to the boy! Why did someone like him, who had the same hurt in those obsidian orbs Gaara felt everyday, be as open and cared for by people who could easily damage and destroy him? What made them different?

His fists curled into a fist with such force his knuckles turned white. He kept his eyes on the boy's back through the mirror as he walked away, blind from the wave of fury encasing the every inch of the room behind him.


	4. The Reunion

**Disclaimer:** Same as always.

* * *

"Lee, so good for you to join us," Raidou smirked. He was the only student whom he allowed to be lenient towards.

The boy in question bowed, "Sorry Mr. Namiashi."

_Always polite_. Raidou smiled, "Well then take a seat I need to finish my announcement."

Still ducking his head Lee made his way to his seat besides in between Naruto and Tenten who were engaged in a game of dots.

"So as I was saying, summer is here, but that does not mean you guys should just waste it away by doing nothing. Kakashi will be your teacher next year and he's pretty demanding when it comes to his work. So here's a list of the books you need to read over the break and the ones you need to acquire for his class next year." He handed Chouji the papers to pass down.

"Question!" Tenten shouted as she took a sheet.

"Yes?"

"But I heard Kakashi is such a lazy ass. That he even brings his porn to read while in class and calls _that _literature. How can he be as demanding as you say if his hormonal habits are worse than teenagers?"

Naruto snickered. "Just write him something that can leave him hot and bothered and you'll pass his class." He grinned inwardly at the thought of describing to him in full detail the positions he and Iruka most likely practiced frequently based on their moaning. He would surely be murdered by Iruka, but hey, the walls were damn thin. Sometimes he could have sworn he heard their liquids hit the wall full force. If he was to die murdered then Iruka was to die in embarrassment for the things Naruto had to put up with on most nights.

Raidou cleared his throat, though amused by how on target Naruto was on that aspect. Only one person had managed to pass the pervert's class by doing such assignment, and he had to admit he would have passed Itachi too if he had been in Kakashi's shoes. That kid was a pure genius, who knew that intellect stretched to such subject. "Now as much as that's true you'd have to be a pretty damn good writer in order to do that. But seeing as to how you all can barely write a decent essay with an exception of a few of you, I doubt that will be the case."

"So let's see," he looked at the clock and sighed 5 minutes until class ended, "well I guess that's all I had to tell you impending seniors. Have fun, be safe, and READ you lazy kids." With that he dismissed the class a couple of minutes earlier, already missing their annoying antics.

"God I can't wait for the day to be over," the blond exclaimed already anticipating not only the last game but the trip as well. By this time tomorrow he would be halfway across the Atlantic

"You fucking lucky ass! You get to travel across the globe while we get stuck here having to work," Kiba complained smacking his friend on the back.

"Naruto, be careful. Do not look for trouble and stay close to Sasuke because if you get lost I don't want to be gathered up in a search party at wee hours in the morning," Ino teased, she was jealous of the blond for being able to travel to her dream city, but did not hold it against him.

"I h-hope you h-have f-fun Naruto," Hinata smiled sweetly at her long time crush. She had been devastated when Sasuke had claimed him as his in front of the student body, but now Tenten's infatuation with the two was starting to rub off on her.

As the group separated for their next class, Lee made his way to physics. When he stepped into the room he beamed with joy when he saw the object of his affection.

"Sakura! You are looking beautiful as always. How are you this fine day?"

Said girl smiled deceptively, quite annoyed by the person in front of her. "Hi Lee I'm doing quite well today and you?" She wished he would stop talking to her. No matter how many times Lee tried to ask her out his efforts would be futile. She held absolutely no feelings for the man. How could someone as her be seen having a relationship with someone like Lee, a bowl cut weirdo with eyebrows too big to look unique, thin body that looked too fragile and was just overall unattractive. She could not stoop below her standards even if the man she had loved since young had turned out to be happily inclined towards his own gender.

How she had cried that day she found out. Never had she been so enraged. Naruto was supposed to have been a very close friend, so she never thought the blond would have anything to do with her suffering, but apparently she had been wrong, since the man of her dreams had been stolen by the man she considered her friend.

"Oh, I am doing fantastic! Youth has never felt so great! I cannot believe the year has come and gone so quickly."

"Yes it has. It's overwhelming."

"Sakura would you be attending the game tonight? With your presence I am sure no force could stop us from winning," Lee asked hopefully, eyes full of anticipation.

The pink haired looked at Lee square in the eyes. Naruto would also be playing and that meant Sasuke would be there too. Maybe she could sit besides him. Having these thoughts she acquiesced. "Sure , why not."

"Yosh! I will try my hardest to win this last game for you my dear Sakura!"

"Yeah, you do that," she mumbled scornfully.

"Alright brats, shut up," Anko screeched, "don't screw up your vacation and actually come back. Got it?" She was terribly straightforward with her speech, but quite genuine.

"Okay. Now pipe down and watch the film." The whole class calmed down when the lights turned off, setting their eyes on the screen, watching Nemo being captured by the net.

Lee leaned sideways on his seat and asked his love the question that had been circling his mind. "Sakura, would you like to have dinner with me after the game?"

The question did not catch her off guard, she was actually expecting it and her answer was just about to roll of her lips automatically when she thought of something.

Turning her whole body towards Lee, she whispered seductively in his ear, "Sure Lee."

* * *

The next couple of classes went by in a blur. Most teachers showed movies others left them in peace. By the time lunch came, Lee was in pure heaven. Sakura had said yes. After years of being rejected, his sweet and charming love had accepted a date with him. He had to win the game just for her. He would run 500 laps around the school if he didn't. He would do absolutely anything for her if it meant going on a date with her.

As he made his way to his usual spot on the blacktop, he lifted the poor person unfortunate enough to be already sitting there and spun her around. Poor Hinata practically fainted not only from the contact, but from the spin itself.

Sensing Hinata's discomfort, he placed her down gently back on the bench, the smile never retreating his face. "I am so sorry my friend, I am just elated with the turn of events."

"W-what h-happened?" she asked smiling, she could feel his joyfulness seeping through his entire body.

"My long time crush has finally accepted to go on a date with me!" he all but shouted at the news he still found hard to believe.

"So you finally gettin' laid, Lee?" Kiba smirked and the blush making its way to the tan face.

"Kiba! Do not start being as crude as Naruto," the raven berated him. Really, the audacity of such question.

As the group finally assimilated, they had all heard the wonderful news Lee had to share even before they heard it from the horse's mouth.

"That's great Fuzzy Brows! So Sakura is finally starting to fall for you persistence. It's about time she got over teme." He hugged Sasuke as he said this. Sure he had felt absolutely horrible when he saw Sakura cry the day Sasuke had kissed him, but he would not give him up after everything they've been through.

"Shut it dobe."

"What? You know she's still hung up on you, or well was since now she's going to be occupied with thoughts of Lee here."

"Lee," Ino leaned in closer to the raven, concern swirling in her voice, "just be careful with her alright, I don't want to see you get hurt." She knew Sakura. She had at one point been best friends with her when they were little, but somewhere along the way she had become infatuated, no, obsessed with everything that dealt with the Uchiha to a point where it wasn't healthy, their friendship being the injured party of it.

"Do not worry, I will be fine. Sakura would not do such things to hurt another, she is too sweet and caring for that." He flashed her a thumbs up glowing with delight.

"Okay, but it's just a precaution. Keep that in mind." The furrow in her eyebrows perplexed him for a minute, since it was rare to see her so serious on a matter. Sure, Ino had known her longer than he had but there was no way she would hurt anybody on purpose. He berated himself for thinking the worst of his love, but those thoughts quickly drifted away as he joined in the conversation of the upcoming game.

* * *

The day flew by. The entire student body had never been seen so animated throughout the entire school year. Yearbooks were signed, hugs were given, good lucks were shouted. Everything that could possibly annoy Gaara happened. He did not understand the point of such behavior when half of those students were going to see each other the next year. They were idiotic and frivolous.

Making his way to his car, he was slightly startled, not to mention pissed, to see someone leaning against his car, obviously waiting for him.

"Uchiha." A one word acknowledgment demanding answers.

"Sabaku," the Uchiha answered, unaffected by the chilling demand.

Sighing, Sasuke closed his eyes, and leaned his head back. "Come to the game."

Gaara glared as the request thoroughly processed. "Why." _Come to the game? _What kind of joke was this bastard playing_._

"I don't know, ask Naruto. He made me come and ask you, but he wants you to come to the game."

"No." It was a simple answer. One which could not be fought, but the Uchiha was apparently going to.

"Just come. The damn dobe wants to take you out of the house. He thinks you need some time to relax instead of suffocating yourself in that mansion of yours." The things he did for Naruto. Convincing Gaara to go to a game was like convincing Kiba he was gay, or bi at least.

The red head narrowed his eyes, irritated. "Like I said, no. What I do has nothing to do with you people. Now move."

Sasuke cocked his head to the side, a smirk forming his features. "Hn. Have it your way." With a last glance at the red head, he walked away, leaving a raging Gaara behind.

* * *

The drive to school was shorter than usual. He sped through every street at record speed, luck being on his side since no cops were around to witness his rampageous driving. He had been set on not attending the stupid event but it never occurred to him that his own sister might shot him in the foot and force him or better yet outright drag him out of the house to his car in an attempt to get him to socialize.

-Flashback-

_Right when Gaara stepped into the house he could feel it. Something was not right but before he could dissect the cause of it, his sister stood before him hands on hips, a sly grin placed on her features. _

"_You're going." _

_That was the only warning Gaara received before he found himself being dragged down by the collar towards his car. _

"_Temari, let go." He wasn't someone who would struggle, but he was finding it rather difficult to break free from his sister's grasp. _

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?" He grabbed the blonde's wrist, trying to pry her hand off his shirt and was a second away from seriously harming her. He didn't care. He would do it if it meant saving his neck from being strangled. _

_Despite the turbulence he felt inside, his face showed nothing, though maybe a slight irritation by the way his right eyebrow twitched. Before he could do anything he was shoved unceremoniously into his drivers seat, Temari taking the passenger side. _

"_Drive. You're going to that game and you're going to like it whether you want to or not." Her icy tone held no room for discussion._

_Gaara glared incredulously at his sister, though his face still remained the same impassive nature he always held. 'Who does she think she is?' _

_From her peripheral vision, Temari saw a small gleam of confusion and smiled amused. It was subtle but the change was noticeable._

_Now all she had to do was get to the field in one piece and was questioning her actions as her nails dug deep into the armrest. Maybe she should have gone with Kankuro in his car and just followed the red head there. But who's to say he wouldn't have lost them on the way, it was clear he would have done it by the way he was driving. No, no she made the right decision. She just hoped Gaara wouldn't decide to risk it and crash them onto something potentially dangerous. _

_Temari gulped. Yeah….sometimes she didn't have the best common sense, but she would worry about that after she was safe with her feet planted firmly on the ground._

-End Flashback-

Not ten minutes later did they arrive safely to the campus. Temari self proclaimed to never go inside a car when Gaara drove. She was to young for a heart attack. A minute later Kankuro joined them, snickering at his sister's pale face.

"Nice trip?"

"Shut it!"

Gaara stood, arms crossed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Both sibling turned to look and the youngest, eyes never faltering.

"Like we told you in the morning, you need to relax once in a while, so when Uzumaki called and told us if you would be busy today of course I said no. He would have brought you in himself but he needed to stay for last minute practice. When he called again and said Uchiha couldn't convince you he practically begged me to bring you in by force." Temari watched her brother carefully and could deduce from the shifts in his lips and the furrow of his eyebrows that he was planning a very painful death for the poor blond boy.

"I would have brought you in here myself, even without him having to call me, you know," she murmured softly.

After moments of being silent, Kankuro finally pitched his own two cents. "Look kid this is not going to kill you, alright? If I had to endure Temari's ballet recitals back in the day, you can survive this." He grunted as a hand made contact with the back of his head.

He gave his sister a small shove and continued. "You have to let go sometimes bro. It's not healthy, this routine you have placed on yourself."

"I can do just fine. I've always had. You have no business pocking your nose into my life." His statement was frank and brutal, no sugarcoating. To say it didn't hurt was a slight understatement considering everything the siblings were trying to do to involve themselves more into his life.

"Please, just for today." Temari voice lacked her usual conviction, but continued to lock eyes with those unexpressive, teal orbs of her brother's.

For a few seconds Gaara just looked at them before turning his heel and walking towards the bleachers.

The Sabaku siblings sighed in relief. At least he didn't run away.

* * *

"Alright team, this is it, the last game of the year. I hope you guys are ready to kick some ass." Asuma exclaimed, pounding the lockers nearby for emphasis.

"We need to win this year, bring back some glory to this place and I'm sure we will with the new zeal and determination we have acquired." All heads turned to Lee and Naruto in distaste. No matter how much effort both friends put into getting on better terms with the rest of the team they were shut out from their space, shunned from the rest of them.

They did not let this behavior get to them. They were in the team for the joy of the sport and the freedom it brought. Just because they were not seen with approving eyes did not mean they were going to quit.

Asuma's deep, voice reverberated loudly. "We need as many goals as possible. Lee is the main striker here. There's no way he can miss with that accuracy of his. So everybody know their positions?"

"Yes coach!"

"Good. 'Fight' on the count of three. One, two three…"

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

Alright then, what are you waiting for? Go out there and show them what we're made of. Oh and Naruto…" Asuma grabbed the blonde's collar as he was heading out.

"Yeah coach?" Naruto gulped. Asuma's smile was nothing short of scary.

"Do no start waving at your boyfriend in the middle of the game. It's not professional." He yanked a little tighter on his shirt for emphasis.

A few snickers and foul comments did not escape his ears, but he paid them no mind.

"Whatever you say coach."

"Excellent! Boys…Lets go make some magic."

The Game was tied 3-3 and neither side showed signs of giving up. They were down to the last half of the game, ten minutes on the clock.

Lee and Naruto had played the entire game with no breaks, besides half time, and still had the same fire in them as when they begun.

Lee had the ball, a Suna striker was right at his tail. _They have sure become faster. A worthy opponent._

The opposing player slid and kicked the ball out of bound. Ball for Konoha. With the ball over his head, Lee sought out an opening. He found it: Juugo. He tossed the ball to him and Juugo immediately took charge, resisting the pushes and shoves the referee failed to call out.

Soon he was being blocked by a two man cell, one on his left the other on his right. He saw Naruto a few feet behind him, open. He stopped abruptly and kicked it back where Naruto was expecting the pass.

Pumping double the speed, Naruto crossed the midfield line with little difficulty from the midfielders until one of them came at him head on. With a double scissors fake to the right side, he threw the player off balance, which gave him enough time to pass it to Lee on his left.

With his renown speed, Lee dashed off and closed the distance between himself and the goal box, keeping himself close to the sideline for his surprise shot.

Gathering enough power on his right leg, he kicked the ball with brutal force from an angle, sending it spinning just enough to throw the goalie off balance.

One minute the ball was going to the extreme right corner of the net, the next it curved in just a few feet from its believed destination leaving a gaping goalie in its wake.

A curve ball was such a rare occurrence and only a few good players were able to actually pull it off. The players from both teams and the spectators were impressed except for two people. One being Lee who practiced to exact precision the angles, his kicks and the intensity he mist give the ball, making it an everyday occurrence. The other being an uninterested Gaara who could give diddly squat about guys chasing a ball like some idiots.

Gaara just sat besides his siblings, more interested in the grime on the bleachers than in the game. On his other side sat the Uchiha, with a very annoying pink haired who kept on clinging onto the his arm despite the death glares he sent her.

"Sakura, let go and watch the game." A voice that could have broken through stone and yet the girl continued to be stubborn.

"Why there's nothing there to see."

Sasuke finally looked at her and was repulsed by what he saw. A low cut shirt revealing far more than it had to and since her arms were crossed over his, it only squeezed her breasts together accentuating them more.

"Didn't you come here because of Lee?"

"Yeah. So?

"Do you know how many goals he's made?"

Sakura placed a finger on her chin and pouted her lip, thinking it made her look cute. "None?"

With a hard tug Sasuke broke free from her grasp. "Sakura, you're pathetic and pay attention to the game. Have the decency to pretend your interested. He has made two and every time he looked here trying to see if you were watching him." With that he stood up and walked off further away from the girl as possible.

Gaara watched, mildly amused as the pink haired turned a different shade of red. As she turned her attention to the field a dangerous glint formed in her eyes. He couldn't help but feel disgusted by her.

He turned back to the game and actually paid attention, keeping an eye out on the bandaged player. As he glanced back to the girl who was currently on the phone he couldn't help but wonder why this, Lee, would even be remotely interested in someone as ludicrous as her.

There were two minutes left and as much as Konoha wanted to score another goal, they wanted to prevent Suna from having the chance to score. A brunette currently had the ball, but kicked it to Lee. He ran as far away from their own goal as possible and kicked it to his team captain who in turn passed it to Naruto. This was becoming more of a diverse distraction than an actual game play.

Naruto ran closer and closer to the goal post, kicking the ball between himself and two of his attacking midfielders. He stopped abruptly, leaving the opposing player by his side dumbfounded and skirted to the left where he took a chance. Gathering enough power on his right leg, he kicked and watched the magic happen.

Everything seemed to go on slow motion. The ball was heading directly towards the hands of the goalie who only sneered at his attempt to score. What he didn't plan on seeing was the same thing which had left him dumbfounded with the bowl cut guy.

The ball rotated towards him, mocking him as it curved to his right, giving him no time to move his body to block it. The ball went in without a hitch, hitting the net full on.

The crowd cheered. All of Konoha high stood, screaming for the victory they had waited for two years. The year couldn't have ended better.

Naruto ran like a maniac, his shirt off. Lee ran towards him, jumping on his back pumping his fist high in the air shouting about the power of youth. The team, forgetting their dislike towards the two friends joined, lifting them up on their shoulders. They had won 5-3 and they couldn't have been more stoked.

After calming down a bit, the members slowly dispersed into the showers, Naruto and Lee being the only ones to stay behind on the field longer.

Kiba ran towards them, grabbing them in a headlock. "Hey you guys were fucking awesome! How the hell did you manage to do that? I could have bet my balls the goalie guy was going nuts!"

Freeing themselves from Kiba's strong hold, the two boys laughed.

"Thanks man."

"Thank you Kiba."

Shikamaru, trying to fake a tired demeanor patted their heads. "Two goals each, now that's a feat."

"Shikamaru! You actually watched without sleeping through!." Lee looked pleased. His friend was not a sports fanatic but would come to every of their games even after his graduation to show his support, though he usually needed to be told who won. How he could sleep through the noise was one of the mysteries Lee would never figure out.

"Y-you guys were amazing"

"Hinata! You were able to make it." Naruto practically pounced on her.

"Y-yeah. I caught f-father in a good m-mood."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Before she could answer, a voice spoke behind Lee and Naruto, startling them both.

"It may be because I'm back"

"Neji!

"Eternal rival!"

Both friends shouted in unison and glommed him into an asphyxiating hug.

"Oomph! Hello…to you…guys…too." he said between breaths. It was becoming a little harder to breath considering the strength both guys possessed.

"Guys, I think you're suffocating him." Tenten laughed amused by the affectionate welcome.

"I am so sorry my dear friend. We got carried away since two good things has happened to us today."

"Don't worry Lee, I actually expected it. Congratulations on the win." A rare, warm smile adorning the usual stoic man's face.

"Thanks," he said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. After receiving so many praises, Lee was becoming a bit shy

"What," Neji smirked, "are you becoming shy all of a sudden? You shouldn't. You deserve all the laud you get."

"He's right." Out of all people, Shino was the last person he expected to agree since he almost never said anything.

Lee just beamed and showed his nice guys pose. "Thank you, all of you for just coming here to support Naruto and I."

"Yeah, yeah," Ino waved off with a flick of her hand, "but Lee, I've got to as, why do you wear those bandages on your legs as well? This got the attention of everyone. They've always wondered why he even wore them in the first place. It wasn't like he was always injured.

Lee looked at Ino, his happy countenance changing for a brief second before putting on a forced smile.

"Why Ino, it is to absorb the sweat, plus do I not look more mysterious with them?" He made an awkward impression of The Thinker in order to prove his point.

The group, unaware of the change in his usual disposition, laughed. "Sure Lee, whatever you say."

In a matter of minutes the topic was long forgotten as they caught up with Neji on his trip, not noticing Sakura as she elbowed her way through, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Lee, Naruto good game."

All but one were displeased to see her, while Lee walked up to her and took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her palm.

"Thank you dear Sakura. If you could just wait a few moments, I'll be back fully refreshed for our long awaited date. Yosh!"

With a small smile, Sakura nodded. "Sure, Lee. I'll wait by my car"

Turning back to the group, Lee said his farewell. "My youthful friends I will see you guys soon in a reunion with Neji! Until then please be careful on your way home." With a small bow he left to the locker room.

"He's got a date with Sakura?" Neji inquired, a brow lifting slightly in surprise. "How?"

Naruto, looking at the retreating back of Lee simply shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, but I hope it works out for him you know. He really likes her. I just hope she can bring some new light to his life."

The rest of the group looked at the blond questioningly, only Neji seemed to understand the emotions playing on his face. Asides Naruto, Neji also knew a bit of the sufferings Lee had endured.

Chouji's question snapped him out of his contemplation.

"What?"

"I said aren't you planning on taking a shower?"

"Oh! No I'm leaving already, our plane leaves in two hours so we're dropping by to our place so I can shower there and get our suitcases. Sasuke's already waiting for me in the car.

"I'll see you guys a week before school starts, alright!" Hugging each and every of his friends, he left, skipping with excitement.

Everybody else, too tired to do anything for the rest of the day left to their homes.

* * *

In a barely lit side of the parking lot, Sakura stood leaning against her car talking on the phone. "Hey, so are you going to be able to make it?"

"_Yeah, but what's in it for us?" _

"A chance to let out your frustrations baby!"

The person on the other line scoffed. _"Right. Fine. Half past nine?"_

"Sharp."

"_Alright see ya then"_

Sakura smirked to herself. _Maybe now you'll get the hint and leave me alone, Lee_.

* * *

Like the speed of light, Lee was in and out of the shower in record speed. His anticipation consuming him, making him giddy with a stomach full of butterflies.

_This is it. My first date! Oh, Kami, and it is with Sakura, the girl of my dreams!_

The locker room was empty now, giving him the freedom to waltz around half naked without a worry about anybody seeing his body. He got dressed, loose black jeans and his favorite green, long sleeved dress shirt. He decided not to wear his bandages for the night, his shirt did most of the work anyways.

He looked in the mirror and decided against gel; he would leave his hair loose. With his black chucks tied and a small spray of cologne he was out dashing towards the parking lot.

* * *

After the earsplitting racket, Gaara walked off to a more secluded part of the field. The game was over and he had no more business in there anyways.

After calling his sister and telling her he would come home later, he watched the spectacle die out as people left either to celebrate, rest, or just leave with their respective partner and family. _How meaningless, the affection they show towards others. They're just giving them the weapon that can harm them. _

He saw the interactions and growled lowly. His eyes then landed on a group of friends, laughing and smiling like there was nothing wrong with the world. Lee was among them, enjoying their company, his eyes void of any of the pain he saw earlier.

_Why? How can he just forget about everything and smile like that? _

"_Lee, I've got to ask, why do you wear those bandages on your legs as well?"_

With that question he finally saw what he was looking for. It was a brief second, but Gaara caught the sudden flicker in the raven eyes, the hidden pain those people seemed to miss.

_There! Those eyes. How can he turn off such emotion hidden within as easy as breathing? Why does he wear his heart on his sleeve knowing he's going to get hurt? Why…why?_

He observed Lee until he disappeared from his sight. For a moment, he debated on following him but opted against it. He walked away from the field, leaving his questions behind.

He did not want to go home yet. Instead, he got in his car and headed to the place most people would leave alone at that time of the night. There he could enjoy the silence, away from the city life.

* * *

"Sakura!" He yelled panting. It usually required him two hours worth of exercise to leave him breathless, but with his heart palpitating with nervousness, it was only natural.

"Lee," she acknowledged him coldly.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he stepped closer to the pink haired. "Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go to?"

Sakura scoffed. _Like he could afford to take me anywhere remotely decent._

"How about Ichiraku's. I'm dying for some ramen."

Lee's face lit up. "Of course! Whatever you want," he replied happily as he opened the driver side door for her.

"Thank you," she said, offering a fake smile.

With quick, long strides he made his way to the passenger seat, eagerly awaiting their departure.

The entire drive to the restaurant was filled with Lee's chirpy chatter and the occasional monosyllable answer from Sakura who was resisting the urge to throw him out the window.

"….plans afterwards, Sakura?"

Caught off guard she only managed to look confused. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"When high school ends what are your plans afterwards?" He asked again.

For the first time that night, the question evoked a heartwarming smile. "I wish to become a medical doctor. It's been a dream of mine since I was young and…you get the best feeling in the world you know, to be able to help most ardently those in need of your knowledge, your comfort. I want to help people prologue their life as much as they can so they can live to see much more of the world.

"My mom she…" reluctance made her speech falter, but continued on after glancing quickly at Lee, "passed away due to the malpractice of one of the doctors. They never really helped much you know. They didn't have the heart and soul required to treat a person. I want to change that. I want to be able to tend to the needs of others who have their outmost faith in me." She looked at the Lee, who had his undividable attention on her, showing nothing but pure admiration for her passionate dream.

Slowly, a smile engulfed his face. "I have no doubt in the world that you will became the most sought out doctor in the country. Your dream is beautiful and holds none of the selfish reasons many unfortunately hold when pursuing that career. Your mom would surely be proud of the kind hearted soul you have."

People have always known about her dream of being a doctor, but nobody had so sweetly venerated her reasons for becoming one. She didn't even know why she decided to mention her mother. Something about Lee comforted her. She frowned when a small pang to her chest made its way to her conscience. Hoping to rid the small regret growing in her heart, she asked the same question.

"And you Lee, with all the sports that you do you're probably thinking of becoming a professional athlete, no?" Sometimes she couldn't even believe he had time for anything with all the activities he was involved in.

"No actually," he rubbed his hands together sheepishly, "I want to become a cop. I believe the world needs more legitimate justice, no corruption, no racial supremacy, and I want to help obtain it by ridding the streets of the ill influences." Despite the cool air blowing in through the windows, Lee could feel his cheeks growing warmer. This wasn't something he went around talking about. Few people knew of his dream.

Since Sakura had revealed a painful memory, he decided it was only fair to share something too. "My dad, or actually foster dad, was a cop too. One of the best. He also passed away while he was on the job, but it was an honorable one. I guess, in a way he influenced me."

A sudden wave of regret hit her hard and unmercifully. "I'm sorry," she whispered, turning her head to see the glossy look in Lee's eyes. Though they were sad, she could make out the undeniable reverence he held towards his father.

"I'm sure you'll be a great cop too, just like him." Her statement earned her a smile, one she had never seen on his face before. It lacked the eagerness and energy usually evoked through his cheerfulness, but it seemed so pure and sincere she couldn't help but smile in return. _Oh, Kami. I can't be regretting this. _

As they arrived to the restaurant, Lee was nothing but a gentleman in every sense, from opening her door, to pulling out her chair. She just couldn't help but feel rather spoiled, her dream of chivalry finally coming true, and all from the guy she wanted to leave her alone. The conversations weren't even half bad. Not many could engage themselves in irrelevant topics with the intellect Lee possessed. She was actually enjoying herself.

She had to stop this. She couldn't let her plan go through. _9:25 maybe I can make it_. She excused herself and went to the restroom, hoping to stop the stupid mistake she had made.

_Come on answer the phone. _She tried calling five times but no answer. Giving up she want back to her table where Lee patiently waited.

"Why are we doing this again?" An apathetic red haired sighed, quite annoyed at being dragged off from his sleep.

A blond just punched his arm, snickering. "Just cause. We have nothing better to do anyways."

"Oooooh! Will we get to play?" A black haired male giddily jumped up and down at the mere thought.

"Don't know yet. Suppose so, she sounded pretty irritated by the guy, He's one of those pushy bastards."

"I see her! I see her! No wonder she wants to get rid of the guy he looks so lame!"

They were now a few feet from the door, and could easily make out the two figures from the brightly lit window conversing enjoyably. The blond had to stop for a second to take in the boy's appearance before smirking. _Well I'll be._

Upon opening the door, the warm smell of miso ramen, the most popular of the night apparently, hit their nostrils, making them all cringe. Lethargically, they made their way to the booth seating their _friends_

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here." The blond smiled as he directed his gaze towards a gaping raven, watching the contortion of his features.

Lee's entire body froze the moment he heard the voice. His fists tightened strongly around his spoon, his knuckles paling dramatically against his skin. He could pick out that voice from anywhere, his dreams never letting him forget it.

With tight lips, his stone, coal eyes making contact with one visible Azure eye. "Deidara."

"Lee, it's been years. How have you been?"

Lee's voice hardened, taking in an unnatural iciness as he tried hard to suppress the mayhem he felt unlocking deep inside him. "I do not believe you have any business knowing that. I would appreciate it if you could please leave us in peace."

Sakura looked at the two befuddled. Something wasn't right. She could feel the tension rising, and was taken aback at the 180 degree change in Lee. She was not liking the atmosphere enveloping their table and only berated herself for the stupidity of plan. She obviously had a dearth of a certain screw in the head.

"You guys know each other?" A stupid question since they obviously knew each others name, but she still found it important to ask.

"Oh, yes sweetheart. We go way back. Don't we, Leeeeeeee?" The childish way in which his name was said only spurred on the hidden hostility boiling in his chest. He could hear the same mockery from his childhood taunting him, reverting him back to the bullied kid he used to be.

"Deidara, I need to talk to you." Sakura stood up grabbing onto his elbow but only managed to extend his arm, his body still firmly planted beside Lee. "Come on!" she impatiently tugged hard, hating to have to repeat herself.

"Why darling don't tell me you're regretting it," he retorted turning his body to face her, smirking as her face confirmed his statement. "Sorry, a deal's a deal. Plus this will be more of a…._reunion, _than anything else. He broke his hand free from her grasp and made himself comfortable in front of Lee.

As Lee continued to glare, a small realization hit. "A d-deal?" He cursed his inarticulacy, watching as the blonde's lips quivered, suppressing a laugh.

"Yeah! Didn't Sakura refuse all your advances before?"

"Deidara shut up!" She didn't want this anymore. The glint in Deidara's eyes was something to be feared

The confused raven looked from the blond to Sakura. "What does that have to do with this _deal_?" He knew whatever the sadistic blond had to say was obviously going to be a lie, but he couldn't help the curiosity growing in the back of his mind.

This time Deidara did laugh a menacing bark, which made both Lee and Sakura wince.

"How many girls have you gone out with, Lee? None. Am I right? So why would Sakura want to be the first girl to go out with someone as pitiful as you, a cripple, a forgotten child, an unwanted?

"Shut up!" Lee's patience was wearing thin. He did not want himself to be exposed by the person he least wanted to see in his life. He especially did not want the girl of his dreams to hear those dreadful childhood experiences he wanted to maintain concealed.

Sakura observed in utter silence as the sweet, polite and energetic Lee she knew in the past minutes changed into a distant, unemotionally detached stranger. His eyes held no life, his features held no emotion. He was like a statue carved from the coldest stone possible and it was all her fault.

"Come on, Lee. Let's go. We don't have to stay here and listen to him." She began to lift Lee from his chair and led him to the door, glad he hadn't noticed that she had paid for both of them. Knowing Lee, he would never tolerate having her pay for anything at all.

Deidara also stood up, trailing right behind them. "Pink stuff, you can't do this to me. You called us to get rid of a pest in your life and we're not backing out. After coming here from our busy schedule, I believe we deserve our end of the deal."

"Just leave! I'm sorry I called you, but I made a mistake!" She yelled over her shoulder as she walked the dimly illumined street. She could tell there was something going on with Lee. He had been far too quiet for too long and she did not want some kind of bloody altercation taking place in her presence. _I'm such a hypocrite. I don't deserve Lee's heart._

Lee's body stopped when he processed what Sakura had said. There was no way he could believe she would call the man of his nightmares on purpose. She wasn't that type of person at all. She was caring, trustworthy and generous, but despite his thoughts on her, he ended doubting her just a tiny bit.

"You called him?" His voice was soft, barely audible. Inside, he was hoping with all his might he had heard wrong. He wanted her to smack his shoulder and laugh, telling him everything was fake, that he was just an actor who looked highly identical to the person who ridicules him in his dreams, where he relives every ghastly day of his childhood years.

She hadn't felt the raven stop and was alarmed when she nearly fell back when she pulled at what she thought was a rock. Turning around reluctantly, she nodded, her head down hiding the shame she felt. She didn't not know the history they two boys shared, but could tell from the aching look in Lee's face that it wasn't very pleasant.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I just wanted to scare you away from me. I've never held any sort of romantic feelings towards you and I was getting pretty tired of your consistency. No matter how many times I told you no, you came back again more determined than ever. I was getting annoyed Lee, and I thought that….if I had somebody give you a little scare you would stop chasing me….or stop talking to me altogether which is what I really had wanted before I started to get to know you better tonight. I'm sorry Lee. I am so sorry."

After hearing the little sob story Sakura was putting out, Deidara began to get frustrated. "Oi! Enough with the tear wrenching talk. Hey queer," he chuckled at the pet name he had given Lee, "as you can see she's not as innocent as you took her to be. She's one of those vindictive sort of bitches who could really care less about you. I mean, wasn't she in love with that duck butt? What made you think she would even consider you as someone who could replace him, huh?"

He loved how the raven's back tensed with every word he spoke. "You probably told her your whole sad story about your crippled body in order to get her sympa-"

"SHUT UP!" Lee's voice echoed in the darkness, disturbing the marginal peace in the ambience. " Do not call me that and do not disrespect Sakura like that! I would never want to gain such attention using something as ludicrous as sympathy."

"Crippled?" The pink haired asked confused. Lee showed no signs of physical impairment so what was he talking about? She looked Lee who was still facing her though not looking at her, but through her. She felt as if something had died inside Lee the way he stared at her, which only made her chest constrict painfully at the mere thought of it being her damn fault.

"Aaah, so he didn't tell you," he chuckled darkly. _Oh this is becoming far more interesting. _"Then I guess I will be given the pleasuring privilege of telling it to you."

"Do not dare!" Lee turned to face Deidara, his face fierce and jaw set tight. He would not let the blond expose everything. He would not let him feel vulnerable. Not now, not ever again.

Before he knew it, he moved towards the smirking blond and connected his fist to his jaw, a sudden rush of adrenaline kicking in.

"Lee! No! Stop it!" She tried to get close to the raven to put an end to the fight but was blocked by Sasori and Tobi , who were clearly enjoying the outcome. She could see the rawness in Lee's eyes empowering him.

"Do something!" She exclaimed, tugging her arms from their hold.

"Why? You wanted this in the first place so be a good girl and let it be," the calm red head responded, keeping watch for any sleazy moves the bowl cut male would pull.

"Blood! I see blood! Did you see it Sasori, it's the same shade as your hair!" Tobi happily pointed out, captivated by the sight. It was animalistic , yet graceful, something Sasori couldn't help but admire.

Deidara's jaw throbbed. Lee had packed quite an unexpected punch. He wouldn't be holding back and the blond inwardly thanked him for bringing a challenge. He dodged the next punch directed to his temple and sweep kicked him. Lee landed on his back and immediately rolled to his left when the blond aimed at his ribs. He quickly stood up but was forced to bend his back as another kick made its way in to his head. His lithe body was a big advantage since Deidara could hardly land a hit on him. He on the other hand, successfully hit the blond under the jaw dazing him for a couple of seconds before he made another move towards his stomach.

For the first time, Lee saw no reason to show humanity, be merciful. Every little teasing, every hurtful name, every stare he had received and stored had finally accumulated enough to break him, to make him go postal to a point where he couldn't or rather _wouldn't _listen to reason. Sakura's cries went unheard in his ears. The only noise audibly clear were the targeted thumps against bare and clothed skin, his own breathing, his own palpitations. Everything else was irrelevant.

Deidara coughed as a surge of air left his lungs. It was becoming harder and harder to breath, his vision blurred and face numbed. He had underestimated Lee. Back then it had been so easy to push around and knock out the male in front of him. He indulged himself on the superiority he felt after dealing with Lee, the cries of mercy spouted from his quivering lips when he could take no more. Now the situations were practically reversed, except he would never stoop down to such degrading level and give in. Though he did have to say he was impressed by the change in the raven. He almost saw himself in him which caused him to laugh hysterically, his muscles aching from the strain.

Lee was livid as he heard the laughs, and only continued to strike god given blows to the already battered torso. There was no more resistance, no more fighting back but he just couldn't stop.

Deidara continued laughing even as Sasori and Tobi took on Lee, falling to the same demise of tattered clothes, bruised skin and bloody noses. They could hardly stand a chance against such power and skill.

Sakura just continued to stare, her voice hoarse from screaming into deaf ears. She had long since fallen paralyzed to her knees, watching with watered eyes as Lee pounded the life out of three people. She didn't know Lee, but this was something her mind couldn't comprehend. This wasn't the Lee she dealt with in school, this wasn't the aggressive Lee most people saw in the field during his games. This was somebody he held contained behind steel doors guarded by the most highly ranked soldiers, enforced by endless supply of impenetrable concrete.

She couldn't take any more of the image and was about to run far away from scene before her when she saw something that made her eyes widen.

She tried to scream in warning but it was too late.

A dreadfully calming silence again overtook the air. The soft wisps of air droning out the small whimpers emitted by a girl responsible for everything.


	5. The Decision

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, sadly :(

* * *

Cool gusts of wind gradually picked up as the hours passed by, creating a seductive song the trees danced along to. The night was dimly illuminated by the waning moon, accentuating the dark shadows engendered by the inanimate objects encompassing the small park.

Underneath the spectacle of visible, twinkling stars, a young red head laid peacefully on the damp grass. With his hands behind his back and his eyes closed, he listened to the ambient music produced by the small creatures surrounding the area, losing himself into a state of tranquility.

He would never admit it out loud, but he thanked the day Naruto decided to drag him out of his house to have some ramen, though he could have gone without the stomach ache a few hours later.

Ichiraku was a secluded establishment on the outskirts of the city where only those committed to such daily, particular food preference found the location with ease. Just outside adjacent to it was a miniature park, no bigger than half of his front yard. Tress lined up one after another, encircling a clear green meadow that always sprouted the most exquisitely exotic flowers one would never find anywhere close in the city. Ever since then, his legs had developed a mind of their own, bringing him there every time his thoughts were in a state of pandemonium.

As he laid there, his quiescent mind brought on a slight droop to his eyes, but before he could completely fall into his meditative trance, a commotion just outside the coverage of the trees perturb his peace. He turned his head to the right a quarter of an inch to discern the cause of his brewing annoyance.

Through the faint light the dingy streetlights provided, he could barely make out the silhouettes of five people. One was obviously a girl by the way she squealed when the person she was pulling stopped. The rest he assumed were males by their build.

Vexed by such disturbance, he up and started towards his car, which unfortunately was parked a few feet away from the objects of his returning irritation. With the grace only the Sabaku's possessed, he briskly walked through the openings between the trees. Just as he was about to expose himself out of the foliage, he stopped when he was finally close enough to see the figures clearly.

'_I'm sorry, Lee. I am so sorry.'_

He watched as said man's shoulders tensed even more as a blond spoke degradingly about the female. He observed the small shifts in the Lee's forearms, how his fists tightened with each passing second as the blond spouted words that only seemed to infuriate the raven even more.

'_Do not call me that and do not disrespect Sakura like that! I would never want to gain such attention using something as ludicrous as sympathy!'_

Gaara couldn't help but feel entranced with the man's unusual behavior, granted he knew what little information Naruto told him. That idiot had the mouth of a parrot, but when he had asked to know everything about Lee, damn '_big bird_' refused to divulge anything. All he knew about Lee was that he was a prodigy in practically every sport he joined and had the bright and polite personality one rarely found now a days, though Gaara was skeptical about this. He'd seen enough in the raven's eyes to know everything was not rainbows and butterflies. There was something he kept hidden behind that optimistic personality of his and until that cumbersome feeling he felt broiling in his chest diminished, he was going to find out what.

He was snapped out of his rare stupor when he heard an unmistakable noise of skin against skin. His eyes followed Lee's fluid movements, mesmerized by the grace of his limps, despite the splattered blood of the delirious blond head on his frame.

Something in the back of his mind was urging him to keep walking, to look away and head home. He did not need to add anymore problems to his already unstable life. It was clear from the way things were going that Lee was single handedly winning an unfair fight of three to one.

On the other hand, the rest of his mind was demanding him to stay. This was his chance to find out why the raven was constantly nagging his thoughts, invading his personal space, becoming an unwanted intrusion to his life. There was so much he needed to know in order to quench his parched curiosity.

It was then that he noticed the limp girl whimpering softly at the scene. Her eyes were puffy from the flowing tears, her mouth agape. Small, insignificant pleads to stop were being sputtered through quivering lips, her voice left raspy from her earlier cries. He recognized her immediately as the one who had disgusted him while at the game.

As he scrutinized every visible detail about her, he was left confused as to how anyone, especially Lee, could find any worth catching attributes in such an ordinarily, replaceable female. She was not beautiful, or at least from Gaara's perspective and her voice was a nuisance to his ear drums. The only thing that stood out was her badly dyed hair.

He growled at the mere thought of Lee being anywhere near her, a sudden, familiar itch of taking her apart limb by limp whirled deep within his gut. He was sure she had something to do with this bloody clash.

It wasn't until he saw her eyes widen to an impossible size that he turned his attention back to a foreboding silence. The blond was still down, his half swollen eyes wide with dementia, laughing at nothing as he cradled his obviously fractured ribs. The other, a red head like himself was laying partly unconscious by the trunk of the tree nearest to him. The last, a spiky black haired was slowly rising his upper torso up with the help of his left forearm as his other hand shakily brought up a gun.

Lee, who was hunched over catching his breath, trying to regain some of the composure he had lost, was oblivious to the deadly weapon being directed straight to his back.

Without thinking, Gaara ran full force in front of Tobi. All logical precautions were thrown out the window as soon as he saw the gun. He knew what the consequences were, he knew but yet there he was putting himself in front of the eyes of danger.

_Why am I doing this? Why do I even care? _Thoughts like these invaded his head in those mere seconds it took him to run from his original position to the space between Lee and the gun. The only thing he was certain of at that moment was that he needed the raven alive, lest he lose the little sanity he had developed from the questions which would no doubt continue to plague his thoughts if Lee died.

As he faced Tobi directly, he immediately took hold of the barrel at the exact same time Tobi's finger pressed the trigger.

Sakura's cry resonated louder than the shot itself. Birds resting within the inner leafage of the trees fluttered in fright from their nightly nest, scurrying away from the unsettling atmosphere.

Everything went by in excruciatingly slow motion. The world stood still, while the ambiance became quiet except for the low grunts emitted from Gaara and the oozing blood seeping though his fingers, the drops becoming seemingly louder and louder with every drip that hit the pavement.

His eyes never left Tobi's. Even as he clutched his abdomen, his features remained expressionless, his icy gaze never faltered as he drilled his anger right through the orbs of his shooter. Seeing Tobi's face turn from shocked to petrified greatly amused the red head. A small, intimidating grin became prominent on his face. The shadows created by the dim glow of the streetlight only pronounced his bone chilling aura.

Slowly he descended to his knees, small, inaudible groans escaped his lips, despite his best efforts to suppress the pain. He winced as he applied pressure to the wound, knowing that if he didn't, the amount of blood loss would take its toll on him like it had his brother, rendering him unconscious.

When the red head finally broke the unnerving eye contact, Tobi dropped the gun abruptly and crawled backwards clumsily, ignoring the agonizing pain in his shoulder and chest. He needed to get away, he needed to escape, but in that moment he didn't know how to move his limbs, the shock still remained, dumbfounding his thoughts.

Lee slowly lifted his head. When he heard the deafening shot he froze, expecting the pain to hit at any moment. When it didn't, he mentally wondered if he had been killed unknowingly. Maybe this was a dream after all. A sick nightmare where everything he touched felt real but everything that touched him could not hurt him whatsoever.

A sound, which would have escaped his ears if not for the silence engulfing them, caught his attention as he languidly turned his body. He didn't know how many times he had frozen in the past 10 minutes but every time he did something horrible seemed to be the cause of his inertness.

He saw the back of a dark crimson head hanging lowly from a slender, pale neck. A growing suspicion formed in the pit of his stomach, forming cold driven sweat to cascade down his temples as he walked to the fallen figure before him.

A gasp escaped his throat once he saw the growing pool of a black thick substance staining the concrete below him. This new sight seemed to have brought his reflexes back to its maximum, prompting him to run to the red head's side.

"Gaara! Oh, God. Gaara are you alright?"

Before Gaara could respond Lee seemed to have berated himself by the slap to his face.

"Stupid question of course not! SAKURA!" Said girl was still looking mortified by what she had experienced, but acknowledged Lee when he called her name. "Don't just sit there call the ambulance!"

"R-right."

As she looked hastily in her purse for her phone, Lee directed his attention back to Gaara.

"Why would you do something as stupid as that?" The raven asked furiously. He hated to see somebody take a hit for him, no matter how deadly. He could just not bear the thought of seeing someone innocent hurting because of him. Gently, he grabbed the injured man's shoulder and laid him on his back, turning him to the side.

Gaara just winced and remained silent, disregarding the fact that someone besides his siblings or Naruto would dare put their hands on him. Right now he didn't have the energy to protest or wrench away from Lee's touch. He shuddered as he felt the man's hands on his side applying the pressure Gaara was apparently not putting enough of.

With his eyes closed, he could hear everything around him much clearer, the sounds of his own hitched breathing, the melodious murmurs Lee uttered to calm himself down, Sakura's panicked voice over the phone.

Somehow all these noises calmed him down. He didn't know if he was going into shock, or if Lee's soft voice was putting him to sleep, but all he knew was that a heavy slumbering feeling was taking over him.

"Gaara, stay awake. You have to stay awake," Lee frantically spoke. He didn't know why but his voice quivered. He hadn't even noticed that he was crying until Gaara turned his head to face him.

Warm, liquidly drops of something ran down Gaara cheek. He furrowed his eyebrows trying to think of what it could possibly be. _Is it raining? Why are the droplets so warm then? _

Reluctantly, he completely opened his eyes, only to see no drops of water falling from the sky. Another warm drop trickled down his cheek, prompting him to turn his neck, where he encountered Lee's face.

Small, clear tears were being formed in the corners of his eyes, falling directly downwards before they could even touch Lee's cheeks. His head hung low as he towered over the red head which brought down the droplets continuously, one after the other.

"You're crying. Why?"

Lee was surprised when Gaara spoke. He was even more astounded of the fact that he couldn't even feel the tears forming in his eyes, but saw the evidence in the streaks down Gaara's face.

'I-I'm s-sorry. It's just….you….you didn't have to do that!"

Gaara cringed at the high pitched wail when Lee said that, but nevertheless kept his eyes locked with the crying man's above him. He could see the blame embedded in the obsidian orbs and was about to say something when the sirens become more and more profound in his ears.

Lee wiped away the residue from Gaara's face before wiping his own eyes, leaving streaks on blood in its wake. The red head just watched as his own blood covered Lee's features, giving him a raw, feral look.

"I was being robbed."

Lee, caught off guard, formed his most intelligent answer yet. "Huh?"

The red head coughed, a small amount of blood leaving his lips. With a rough voice he continued. "When they ask you what happened, you say that I was being robbed by those three and you helped me out."

Shocked, Lee only stared befuddled. "I-I cannot do that. It was my fault this started in the first place. I cannot…I will take the blame."

"Lee. You will do as I say."

"No-"

With as much force he could possibly attain, Gaara wrapped his hand around Lee's shirt and brought him down, and inch away from his face. "You will do it."

From the awkward angle Gaara was in, Lee nodded his head once in hopes of getting Gaara to lay back down so as to not put more strain than needed on his wound. It didn't help that despite being injured, Gaara's voice sounded intent on killing if he did not acquiesced to his demand.

The ambulance was now no more than a few hundred feet away. As it stopped, the paramedics got to work quickly and efficiently, bringing Gaara inside the vehicle, attaching him to tubes and oxygen masks Lee was more than tiredly familiar with in his life. He saw as Deidara and his crew were put to the same procedures, inwardly wincing as he remembered his lost composure.

As he watched he didn't see the approaching paramedic asking him a question.

"Huh?" _How smart must I sound now._

Annoyed, the paramedic repeated his question. "Are you related to the patient?"

"I'm just his classmate" With that, the man nodded and ran back to the vehicle, closed the back door and left.

Lee stood still until he could no longer hear the wailing sirens. This was supposed to have been one of the best days in his life, the soccer victory, Neji's return, a date with Sakura. Now all he would remember was the spilled blood, his rampage and that unnaturally soft look on Gaara's face when he saw Lee's tears.

He looked down at his hands, evidence of the night being real staining his palms, his fingers, his wrists, becoming part of his skin as the blood dried. As he stared thoughtfully at his hands he resolved to visit the young red head. Tonight, that man had not been the cause of his discomfort, his unnerving rage. Tonight, that man had been his savior, his angel. Maybe they could form a friendship out of this. And maybe, just maybe, he won't get thrown in jail for the trouble caused. Though a question nagged his thoughts nonstop. _Why did he do this? Out of all people, why did he do this for me?_

As he continued in his contemplation, he didn't notice the pink haired closing the distance between them.

Tentatively, the female spoke the only words she could tell Lee. "Lee I'm s-sorry I-"

She stopped, surprised as a cold, unfriendly tone took over Lee's voice. "You should go home. It is late. I would escort you back but right now I do not feel like seeing you and I have something I need to do."

"P-please Lee, if I can do anything for you, ple-"

"Like I said, I need some time to think. I do not hold this against you but I just cannot be around you at the moment. Please, drive safely." He started walking away from her when he remembered something.

He turned back and stood face to face with Sakura, his eyes penetrating into her own. She didn't even notice what Lee did as his eyes held hers. Sakura couldn't help but take in the sight before her. Lee was taller than her by just a couple of inches, his broad shoulders surprised her, she always thought he was too thin for a guy, his hair was disheveled in ways that, under different circumstances would catch any girls attention, but what held her interest the most was the way Lee looked at her with those dark, round orbs of his. They always held a glimmer of energy, of life, but at that moment, they were devoid of any light and admiration she had seen before the whole mess happened.

She was still staring even as Lee walked away, distancing himself farther and farther into the darkness up to the point Sakura couldn't make out his silhouette any longer.

Finally, breaking free from the trance Lee had somehow put her in, she looked down into her hand and began to weep. For the second time that night, she fell to her knees, her hand covering her mouth as she tried to stifle her cries. She hated herself at moment. There was no way she would ever find someone with the heart Lee wore on his sleeve. How had she not noticed the qualities that made Lee by far one of a kind, a perfect catch.

She clutched the outside of her heart, the unbearable pain spiraling in her chest. Slowly she stood, opening her palm to reveal a crumbled twenty dollar bill with a silver necklace of a miniature stethoscope. If the circumstances were different, she would have laughed at the corny gift, but now she could only smile sadly at the thought of what could have been.

* * *

Kankuro and Temari sat solemnly, tired of the wait hospitals stupidly required. Their brother had been in surgery for the past six hours and they still hadn't heard anything about his state. They couldn't believe this was happening all over again.

_The large house stood silent as the last of the house keeping left for the night. Temari was up in her room finishing her calculus while Kankuro slept through the middle of The Shining. _

_A low humming could be heard from under Kankuro's pillow, but due to his knocked out stage, he happily slept through it._

_Temari, relieved of having an excuse to take a break from integrating equations, she stood up and stretched her bones till she heard the adjusting pops. She stepped into the hallway tiredly and picked up the phone from the island holding the memories that included her mother._

_When she picked up the phone, she did not expect the hospital to be giving her a nightly call._

_"Hello, Sabaku residence."_

_'Hello this is Konoha Hospital. Are you a relative of Gaara Sabaku?'_

_Just hearing the word hospital turned the blonde's world upside down. "Y-yes, this is his sister. Is something wrong with Gaara?" She hated how her voice faltered._

_'Yes ma'am. I'm sorry to tell you that your brother has suffered from a gunshot wound.'_

_"W-what?" Her whole world collapse as she fell to the floor._

_'If you could come over and sign some papers, he is already on his way to the operating room.'_

_Temari couldn't believe what she had heard and could barely make out a faint 'okay' before she hung up the phone. She stood up with a new sense of speed, put on her shoes and went in search of the older brother._

_"Kankuro! Kankuro! Where the fuck are you?" As she approached the living room she heard the couch creek and a murmured curse coming from its confinement._

_"Get the fuck up!"_

_"Shit woman, what the hell's your problem?" The brunette inquired angrily as he buried himself with the pillow trying to block out his sister's loud demands._

_"Gaara's been shot. He's in the hospital having sugery and we need to sign some stupid papers," she stated so matter a fact._

_Kankuro slid the pillow away from his face to look at his sister. Even though her voice sounded completely calm he could tell from her trembling hands that she was terrified and hurting. Her face never hid any emotion when it dealt with any of their safety. She reminded him so much of his mother with the way her eyelashes fell over her watery, teal orbs, a ruby blush spreading over her cheeks from her own anger of not being able to protect them._

_Quickly he made his way towards her and embraced her shaking body. She didn't break down like this often, but when she did, he knew he was the one that had to remain calm in order to offer soothing assurances._

_Inside he was raging with fear. Gaara was going to be alright. That brat was strong enough. Even if he didn't show it, he knew of the fondness he had taken to them both and knew how much Temari would hurt._

_As he composed himself, trying to reassure himself before he went on to calm his sister, he led them both out the door._

_The ride to the hospital was quiet, somber. All Kankuro could think of was committing a crime in order to avenge his brother. He sneaked a quick look at his sister, a tear making its way down her reddened cheeks. He turned his sight back to the road in order to avoid another incident, but the sight of his sister broke his heart. He could just imagine the guilt she was inflicting herself with, blaming herself for not being able to do anything about it._

_"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have forced him to go." She spoke in such a low whisper that Kankuro almost missed it._

_"No. It's not your fault. Do not say that."_

_"If I hadn't forced him to go he would have still been at home, with us."_

_"Who's to say he wouldn't have hurt himself while at the house? Temari this is not your fault so do not blame yourself with something you had no control over!"_

_Temari turned her head to look at her brother, her tears falling more freely. A small smile appeared on her face, it was weird when Kankuro became the serious one._

_"I know."_

_The rest of the drive was made in silence. Only the shallow breathing of both siblings surrounded them as they prayed to whoever was listening, to save their younger brother._

Now they sat, stood, walked. They didn't know what to do while they waited. Time seemed to mock them, appearing to go slower.

Temari felt like going on a rampage right there in the waiting room if it could bring her any news quicker.

"Ms. Temari? Maybe you should lie down for a while." The blond stopped in her tracks and glared profoundly at the raven.

"What I need is none of your concern," she spat viciously. She walked up to Lee, all kindness she had directed towards him the day he met her was long forgotten as she stood on equal height with him. "What I wanna know though, is what the fuck happened. My brother is in there fighting for his life and you are left here scot-free of any visible wounds and covered in his blood."

Her tone of voice absolutely chilled him to the bone. He didn't know _what _to say to her. He knew Gaara had told him to say something about a robbery, but he had never been good at lying for the same reason being that he could never remember the lie.

He looked into the teal orbs in front of him. Behind the obvious fury he could see an amalgam of emotions encasing her pain driven eyes.

"I- the shot….he….it was meant for…me, he stood in front. I didn't see," his thoughts were a mess of incoherent gibberish. He could not for the life of him form an entire, complete sentence.

His eyes never left Temari's as she took in the fragmented information. A new set of rage dawned on her features as she clenched the front of Lee's bloodied shirt, twisting the cloth as she brought his face closer.

"So it was your fault?" She venomously hissed.

"I-I didn't know he was there! I'm sorry, I'm so terribly sorry," his voice lowered to an inaudible octave as his gaze became distant, "Maybe if I hadn't lost it none of this would have happened."

Temari continued her livid glare, though her hold on his shirt loosed slightly as she noticed the withdrawn disposition settling on Lee's features.

Kankuro just sat and listened. He wasn't one of the pacifist in the family, but at the moment he repressed his yearning urges to smash the bowl haired brat to smithereens. He would get his chance though, he swore he would.

"Tems, leave the brat alone if you don't want to be kicked out for a public disturbance."

The blond reluctantly complied, though Lee could have sworn he heard her growl in annoyance at her brother's orders.

He staggered backwards as soon as Temari released her hold on his shirt, ignoring the prominent wrinkles on the damaged cloth .

"You should go clean up, you look disgusting." He knew her words were meant for the blood that covered him from head to toe, but he couldn't help but wince at her particular choice of words.

"Y-yeah."

He was about to walk out of the waiting room when he heard hurried scuffling behind him. As soon as he turned, he was met with a sign of relief as the doctor tiredly smiled. Knowing that the red head had survived, he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and walked away towards the nearest bathroom facilities.

"Mr. and Miss. Sabaku?"

Temari ran towards the busty, blond doctor, her impatienness clear on her face. Kankuro shot right up and stood right by his sister's side.

"Yes Dr. Tsunade, how is he?"

The small smile spreading across the doctor's face told them everything. "Oh, thank god!" Temari had to hold on to her brother's shoulder as the relief consumed her.

"He lost quite a bit of blood, but he was lucky that he applied the required force on the wound in order to prevent a serious amount of blood loss. It was a damn miracle that the bullet did not go further down the folds of the bowel. A centimeter further and I'm afraid he wouldn't have been as fortunate."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Temari was still in shock about the whole mess but nevertheless relieved to hear that her brother was going to be okay. Kankuro strengthened his hold on her shoulder, a sign that he too was completely relieved.

"Right now, he's being settled in the recovery room if you would like to see him. It's just down the hall to your right, his name should be on the clipboard outside his door."

"Thank you again, Ms. Tsunade." Kankuro bowed and began his way to his younger brother's room.

The blond professional watched as the young siblings made their way down the luminous white hall. She was about to turn away to get some rest when a movement caught her eye. Usually, she would have paid no mind to the visitors, but something familiar caught her attention. A young, tan man walked fretfully into the room searching wearily for someone as he fumbled with a shirt in his hands.

It was then and there that the memory dawned on her. With a tank top being the only piece of clothing concealing the man's torso she could see the left arm, marred completely with disfiguring fissures on his skin. Despite his dark pigment, the scars stood out pale in comparison to his coffee creamed complexion.

In all her years in the medical field, she had never dealt with a patient so determined to go back to normal, to beat the odds. Now after five years she was standing before one of the few miracles she was fortunate enough to witness.

"Lee? Rock, Lee?"

Said male turned to the direction of his name being called and was surprised to see a very old aquiantace.

With a beaming smile belying his anxiety, he waltzed towards his former surgeon and physician. "Ms. Tsunade! I did not know you had been relocated? It is so lovely to see you again. How are you?"

The doctor smiled, unaware of her former patient's false disposition. "I'm quite well actually, just a bit tired."

"Long surgery?"

"Thankfully, not as long as yours, but yes, quite draining. Not that I mind the reunion, but this is not somewhere I would be expecting to see you again." She frowned as she recalled the times she was forced to scold the overly enthusiastic raven for escaping from under the nurses' eyes. She knew how much he hated hospitals, so to meet him once again in one concerned her greatly.

"Are you alright, Lee?" Her professional tone took over as she noticed the subtle change of discoloring above his jaw line and upper shoulder. Before Lee could answer she took his face in her hands, turning it slowly from left to right to examine the damage. She pressed a particularly tender spot and noticed the slight flinch on Lee's features.

Sternly, she took hold of his shoulders and took on the parental voice only the black haired boy in front of her managed to draw out. "Lee, what happened?"

If he had known he would encounter his ex-doctor, he would have made sure to camoflauge himself and sneak away. He had seen his reflection in the mirror, but shrugged off the possibility of anybody noticing the slight bruising on his face. Sure, he had managed to dodge almost all potentially brutal hits, but a few had slipped in despite his defense.

He inwardly groaned as the doctor in in front of him demanded answers he would rather not mention to anybody. Not only did he lose the control he commended himself on having, but he had managed to involve an outsider into his problems which practically cost his life. And not only that, he had left Sakura to drive on her own in the state she was in. Regardless of what her intentions had been, he could not stand a man who left a woman out by herself. He was still berating himself for that.

Looking into the questioning sapphire eyes, he sighed, giving in to the look of _if you don't tell me now, I will slowly castrate you. _He shuddered as he remembered the day she threatened him with those exact same words, an eerily gleam flashing through her eyes as she phrased it. He still wondered if she was being serious.

"I-"

His shoulders slumped, his head fell downwards. He didn't want to see Tsunade's face as he explained those dreading events.

With a hushed murmur, he let the words roll off his lips. "I ran into Deidara a-and one thing let to another. I lost it…I…I failed to see the gun. I wasn't expecting him to entangle himself in the mess and now…now he's in the hospital for a wound that was meant for me."

As Tsunade absorbed the information, she didn't notice the wince as she tightened her grip on Lee's shoulder, leaving her imprints on the bare skin. Fury washed through her like waves, crashing down with pitiless strength as she recalled the cause of her first meeting with Lee. She had never seen so many broken bones in one patient and all because of the blond culprit who thought it would be funny to bully those weaker than him.

Her face soften as she regarded the dismayed raven in front of her. "So the reason that Sabaku brat was admitted here was because he stepped in on time to save you?" It surprised her to know the reason behind the kid's injury. She did not peg the Sabakus' to be the type of people to jump in the way of an incoming bullet for someone.

Lee's head leaned forward, affirming the question. He was still looking at an interesting spot on his shoe, not daring to raise his gaze for the fear of seeing the blame being mirrored in Tsunade's eyes.

Tsunade sighed. "Lee, look at me. I'm not blaming you for something the red head was aware of what he was getting into." She could see the dark, watery orbs as Lee raised his head slowly. Wiping the looming tears, she wrapped her arms around the trembling body, just as she had done on that same day. She never knew a kid could have such horrible luck in their lives.

After a few moments of being embraced by those motherly, crushing embraces, Lee disentangled himself from her arms.

"Can I go see him now?"

A soft smile grazed upon the blonde's lips. "Of course, just be careful not stir him from his sleep. He needs all the rest he can get in order to recover rapidly."

Lee slowly nodded, a bit of life resuming in his eyes as he thought of the complete recovery Gaara would have. If it had anything to do with Tsunade, he had no doubt anybody would find themselves to be as good as new again.

Silently, the two made their way down the hall, their feet sqeaking unnecessarily on the waxed floors; the poignant mood in the air ebbing away.

* * *

Gaara felt like absolute shit. His body felt like a ton of bricks had been left purposely on top of his body. The frosty air permeated through the small openings of his bed sheet, raising the thin, undetectable hairs on his body.

His eyes felt heavy as he struggled to open his emerald, green orbs. A strong smell of antiseptic dulled his drowsiness, causing his nose to scrunch up at the distaste of it. With his eyes still partly closed, he tried to prop himself up with his forearms only to be met with a sharp pain in the lower region of his torso. He groaned in mere frustration for his inability to sit upright and cursed the damn pain.

"Gaara you should stay on your back." A groggy voice ordered him. He guessed his sister had stayed the entire night keeping guard by the lethargic sounds of her movements.

"Go home. Rest" Just three words and yet he felt as if he had breathlesly spoken for hours on end.

"I will, in a while. I just want to stay a bit longer." Temari was set on not moving an inch until she felt Gaara was well enough to be on his own, even if it took days. She wasn't going to tell him that though. She didn't feel like having an argument. It was too early for her or rather too late in the afternoon to do so.

"Temari." Finally, after much struggle he opened his eyes fully only to have the bright light blind his vision, black dots appearing everywhere he looked before landing his fuzzy gaze onto his stubborn sister's.

His brows furrowed as he directed a glare towards the blond. "Go home. I know you've been here all day. You look twice as old than you did yesterday."

Temari couldn't help but chuckle lightly. Despite his wound he was still as candid as ever. "I promise I will Gaara. I just need to make sure you'll-"

"I'm still going to be here when you come back. Nothing is going to change, so just go home for a while. I will be fine."

The room was enveloped in a heated tension as the siblings glared daggers towards each other, communicating silently through pure sight.

Tired from an unblinking fight that left her eyes dry and aching, Temari conceded. "Fuck! Fine, but you can expect me to be back here later on today, understand? And you will not make me leave. After the fright you just put us through, you owe us at least that much."

"Hn. Fine." Slowly he tried his earlier attempt of propping himself up. Sighing, Temari closed in to his side and gently helped with the lifting process.

There was one thing that littered her thoughts ever since she almost pounded the dark haired freak the night before.

"Why did you do it Gaara? You had no business involving yourself with those people. What made you do something so stupid as to walk in front of a gun?" At the moment, if she saw Lee, she knew nothing would stop her from giving him his share of bruises to make up for the stupidity of her brother's choice.

Gaara stared at the white wall in front of him, penetrating through it. A pregnant pause filled the room as he contemplated his answer.

Without taking his eyes from the colorless spot before him, he spoke low and blunt, though a hint of empathy slipped its way in.

"Because he hurts just as much as I do."

The eldest Sabaku's heart shattered. She knew the pain which had embodied much of their childhood could never be forgotten, but Gaara had never once felt the need to express his hurt, much less flat out verbalize that he actually felt something.

Her face soften, the shift in her facial muscles taking away many years from her already young appearance. She was still utterly pissed at Gaara's stupidity, but she could never stay mad for long when it came to her little brother.

"Even so, you're old enough to know that stepping in front of a gun is not the best idea. Gaara, you were lucky the bullet didn't go deep enough to cause a real fucked up mess. Next time think before you act. You're usually the one better at it than me or Kankuro." She crossed her arms in front of her chest in a stance that if it was anybody else, would have caused many _piss in the pants _accidents. Gaara, on the other hand, continued to nonchalantly stare at the wall.

Exasperated, and with the exhaustion finally taking its toll on her, she started to pick her bag off the floor.

Slowly, she made her way toward the red head and wrapped her arms hesitantly around him. Gaara stiffened at the contact, though gradually eased the tension in his shoulders. He didn't hug back though. An embrace was still something new to him which he still couldn't grasp the meaning of.

Temari sighed inwardly as she felt Gaara loosen his shoulder muscles, giving in to the small touch. Like him, contact was fairly new to her. The first time she had embraced him, he pushed her so far off from his personal space that she was left with small indentions from the crescent shaped fingernails on both sides of her arms.

Every time after that, she made sure to ease in, announcing when she would be wrapping her arms or even placing her hand on his shoulder, lest she want a repeat of the first time. She wouldn't mind it though. If she could take in some of the pain she had caused Gaara, then it was a fair exchange of emotion in her opinion.

Her arms tightened around the small frame of her brother. "I will be back later. Obey the nurses, don't scare them off. They are only trying to do their job." With a small kiss to his cheek, she let go and started towards the door.

As she opened it, she gave one last glance back. Gaara had his eyes shut, his hands sat limply on the bed; the rise and fall of his chest being the only indication that he was alive and well, partially.

Stepping out of the door, she silently muttered the three words Gaara hadn't heard since their mother passed away.

"I love you."

The words fell to deaf ears, drowned out by the hustle of the every day life of a hospital.

* * *

Lee was not a quitter. If anything, he could take the most pride in his ability to persevere and strive amidst all adversities thrown straight at him.

So as he recited his own personal, encouraging mantra he stole from _The Little Engine That Could_, he worked cautiously yet swiftly on the extended walkway.

Wiping the cascading droplets of sweat from his temple, he took a small rest to appreciate the overall structure of the Sabaku residence. He could not shake off the feeling of guilt that had developed the moment he saw the first drops of blood on the concrete floor.

Such venerable blood was spilled because the past decided to catch up with him. It was all his fault. If he had just remained calm and collected, if he had just not let the words get to him this whole mess wouldn't have happened.

"Hey, Lee! You alright?"

Startled, Lee turned to regard Kakashi, a smile quickly taking place. "Yes, sir. I am just admiring the scene. I have never seen anything like this before. Everything is jus so grand and luxurious."

Smirking, the white haired man stopped his shoveling and immediately replaced the tool with his infamous orange book. "Yes it is. It's too big for my taste though. There seems to be no warmth."

Lee eyed the man curiously.

"No warmth? What do you mean?"

"It's the family, kid. I've been coming here to help Iruka ever since I met him and not once have I seen the entire family just congregate around the table to eat. Matter of fact I've only seen the father twice. Every time Iruka gets the pay, it's always the blond that hands the check with her name on it."

"But, how can that be? I saw how worried they were yes- how they stuck together when I met them all. They seemed to be talking quite comfortably with each other." Lee hopped the man had not caught on to what he almost said, though he knew that if he did, Kakashi was the type of person who left people to their privacy.

"It may be when the father is out of the picture then." He had noticed the change in Lee's wording and his expression, though he was not one to pry. He wondered though if that had anything to do with the bruising covering the boy's jaw.

"Hey you too! Stop diddle dawdling and get your asses to work!"

Both Kakashi and Lee chuckled. Usually Iruka was such a kind man, but when it came to work he was not one to let anyone fool around.

"Yeah, yeah. Going."

Before Lee could begin working on the walkway, Iruka came over and yanked his long-sleeved shirt away.

Lee was not expecting such a move from the second person he considered a father and barely managed not to squeal as he wrapped his arms around his torso. He cursed himself for not wearing a wife-beater or his bandages. After everything that happed the night before he was lucky he had even managed to sleep for a good three hours before making his way to work.

He had forgotten to wear the things that protected him from the pity and the cringing faces. Iruka had witnessed his 'deformities' first hand but Kakashi, Ibiki, Izumo and Kotetsu had not.

"You're going to wear yourself out even quicker with that shirt trapping in the heat." His brown eyes held the fire Lee had grown up with ever since Iruka had adopted Naruto.

Grabbing his shoulders, Iruka lowly reassured him. "It's okay, Lee. They are not going to say anything I promise you that. Everyone has scars. They can be externally like yours or internally like the ones everybody wants to keep hidden, but they do not take away from the value of the person possessing them. On the contrary, they demonstrate the strength you have, the endurance that keeps you going." His grip tightened on his shoulders, emphasizing his point.

"Now instead of covering up you should show these old geezers what it's like to actually have the body of a man." He gave the boy a lopsided grin, the clear understanding still in his eyes.

Lee smiled softly at that comment and nodded his head doubtfully, letting his hands fall to his sides.

The softness in Iruka's voice had calmed some of his insecurities away, but it still left him fidgety to cover his body back up again.

"Alright now back to work. No slacking off, Lee. I expect better from you and Kakashi! Stop reading that goddamn book for once!"

As Iruka made his way back the half disposed, artificial waterfall, he glanced down to his arm and side. The long scars crisscrossed in an array of random patterns, stretching his skin unnaturally. Sighing one last time he went back to work.

_Later tonight I will go visit him._

* * *

The darkness was cold. He tried to stretch his sight further but it was no use, the blackness enveloped the entire place. He couldn't even see his own hands before him. He didn't even know if he was standing on any sort of solid floor. It seemed as if he had been walking blindly, aimlessly for a flicker of light, an escape out of the shadows, but to no avail.

Tired, he sank to his knees, shutting his eyes from the blackness. His hands clutched his knees forcefully, digging his nails deep enough to penetrate his jeans. He wanted to get out. He wanted to leave the very place he'd been living in for the past years, but he could never find the light to lead him away.

A warm feeling began to make its way from his feet up. Tentatively he opened his eyes to find a sparkling flow of water beneath him. There was nothing illuminating his surroundings, but yet he could see his reflection clearly on the surface, as if it were a mirror. He was afraid he would lose his image on the water, but with curious fingers he touched his reflecting face.

The water rippled at his touch, but his image was never broken. He was surprised to find the water warm in contrast to the frigid air around him.

Like a little boy playing in a puddle despite their mother's orders, Gaara, laid down on his stomach taking in the inviting warmth he yearned for so desperately. He turned on his back and found that his clothes were strangely dry. The water was like a blanket to his soul, a companion for the harsh reality he didn't want to face.

Suddenly, he remembered feeling the same tenderly warmth somewhere before, but he couldn't remember from who. This person had cried for him because of something, but he couldn't remember for what.

Rapidly, the water began to evaporate, leaving him in the same position he was before, helpless, lost and utterly alone.

"No! Please don't leave! Don't leave me alone!" He begged with all his heart, pleaded like a small child would, wanting to get his way. His vision blurred from the tears beginning to form, but he paid them no mind.

He stood and ran. To where, he didn't know, but he wanted to find that warmth again, fall to its embrace and stay there until he could feel the cold no more. He screamed, the sound resonating with no signs of it ever ending.

He finally stopped running. His lungs ached. His chest heaved as he took in big gulps of air which only made the pain worse.

"No, please!" He kept repeating in between pants.

"Come back!"

He fell to his knees as he grasped his neck. He hurt. Both physically and mentally, he hurt.

"Mom. I'm sorry, mom." The small sob passed his lips before he fell unconscious, unaware of the small beam of light trailing his last tear.

* * *

Lee waited. He never knew waiting could be such a difficult task; he never knew sitting still could be such a difficult task.

After being told or rather demanded by Iruka to go home early, he decided to take the chance and visit Gaara, so he quickly headed home, took a shower and ran to the hospital.

Now, he sat in the room of his savior and stared in a brown study. He watched the rising and falling on the boy's chest before him as he slept. Gaara's sleeping face looked peaceful and far more relaxed. His rosy cheeks, his button nose, his plump lips still held the innocence of a small child. Looking at him now made Lee wonder why every time those piecing jade eyes made contact with his own, he felt so vulnerable and helplessly rendered.

It took everything Lee had not to punch the wall in sheer anger, to punch himself repeatedly for causing something like this to happen. Gaara didn't deserve to be stuck in the confinement of a hospital. He didn't deserve to suffer any physical pain because of him.

Lee was deeply lost in his berating thoughts that he didn't notice the small twitches on Gaara's face. It was until a sob broke his trance that he made his way next to the red head's bed.

A crease in between Gaara's eyebrows signaled Lee that the boy was having a nightmare. Without thinking, he gingerly soothed the wrinkle away and noticed how Gaara's head leaned in to his touch. Satisfied at the relaxed expression, he withdrew his hand but replaced it immediately when the red head whimpered and began to frantically shake his head.

Lee's eyes widened when tears began to fall from the closed eyelids. He gently swiped them off as he grabbed the boys head between his hands, caressing his cheeks to lull him.

"_No! Please don't leave! Don't leave me alone!"_

Unable to watch the young red head deal with his nightmare, he quietly uttered words as he stroked his cheeks.

"Shhhh. It's okay, Gaara. You're not alone. I'm right here."

"_No, please! Come back"_

Lee didn't want to wake Gaara up, but he knew how being stuck in those nightmares felt. He knew what it was like to relive everything, unable to tell if it's real or not.

"Gaara, wake up." He gently shook the boy's shoulders so as to not frighten him. "It's just a nightmare. It's not real. Wake up."

"_Mom. I'm sorry, mom." _A last soft sob echoed so loudly in the silence of the room before Lee decided to do what he thought was best.

Wrapping his arms carefully around the smaller boy's frame, he continued his soothing garble, rubbing comforting circles on Gaara's back.

Red, puffy eyes opened only to find hazy, black strands of hair obscuring his vision. Disoriented, he made a move to swipe away the intruding locks but found his arms constricted of movement. His eyes opened wider, as comprehension hit. Someone dared to lay a hand on him, but what perplexed him the most was the fact of wanting to remain within the warm envelopment he had felt in the darkness, the one he had so desperately begged for to stay.

He found himself relaxing underneath the person's arms and within moments his red rimmed eyes began to droop slightly.

"Who are you?" Reality started to register and he writhed his body to indicate the stranger to back away.

Lee wasn't even aware of the waking Gaara as he held on with no signs of letting go. When he heard the weak voice beneath him, he almost jumped from his shoes. He could feel his face burning as a blush made its way with a menacing vengeance.

"Gaara! Hi, how are you?" He winced. His voice was too loud, even to his own ears.

"Lee."

He had been acknowledged. That was a good sign.

"Why were you hugging me?" Gaara noticed the squirmy movements as Lee's face grew a darker shade of red with each passing second.

"Huh? Oh, right. Well….see, you looked like you were having a bad dream. Naruto always calmed down when he felt another presence so I figured it would work for you too." He was slowly going to die from embarrassment.

"Don't. I don't like people touching me." His words contradicted his longing to have those arms securely around him.

"Y-yeah, of course. I'm sorry I assumed wrong." Lee's face fell at the detachedness in Gaara's voice. He made his way backwards until his back hit the dull wall.

With his eyes still downcast, he whispered an inaudible 'thank you' that did not go unheard in Gaara's ears.

"For what? I didn't do it to help you."

Obsidian orbs snapped fully open as he processed the meaning. "W-what do you mean? W-w-where you t-t-trying to get yourself...killed?" His voice rang louder with every word that he spoke.

"Hn. It doesn't concern you." With a sneer, he took his gaze from the bewildered look on the man's face to the window, ignoring the glares from the dark eyes before him.

"It doesn't concern me? You were almost killed because of me! You may not think so but I cannot deal with such guilt on my conscience knowing that I could have prevented it. How can you sit here and practically tell me that was your intention? Life has given so much to you. A beautiful home, two siblings that would turn the world inside out for you and-"

Fury circled the emerald orbs as he turned his head to regard Lee. "You. Don't. Know. Anything. Now leave."

Lee's own anger spiraled out of control as he indignantly stared into piercing eyes. The one thing he hated was having people give up on life so easily without fighting through it with every fiber of their being. Life was such a precious thing to just go off and waste it.

Filled to the brim with suppressed wrath, he uncharacteristically sneered. Gaara watched as the light in those coal like orbs was replaced with the same devoid rawness he had witnessed the day before.

With a low, growling voice, Lee spoke as he made his way closer to the side of the bed.

"You know, some people would kill to have the person they lost come back to life. Who would kill for you, Gaara, when your eyes are left with nothing but a dark abyss. If you want to end your life, do so by your own hands, don't make others feel guilty when all they want to do is live with no more nightmares to add on to their nights." He walked away quickly, wanting to get out as soon as possible.

Lee had never acted so scornfully in his life, or spat such malignant words. As he headed towards the door, he wiped away the impending tears with enough force to bruise. Before making his way out of the threshold, he spoke his last words to Gaara.

"I'm sorry," and with that he made his way out of the asphyxiating hospital, running through the halls and stairs even when nurses yelled at him to walk.

He didn't stop until he made his way to the only place that gave him solace. The only place where he could let himself go with no worries about having someone see him break down.

He stopped and fell to his knees, catching his breath and slowly crawled until his head made contact with cool, smooth marble.

"Hey, long time no see dad."

* * *

Gaara sat, unmoving, unflinching for the last couple of minutes. Even after Lee left, his eyes remained on the same spot the raven had been when he uttered those last two words. Even after how he had acted, Lee had managed to apologize, something Gaara could never do.

Nobody had ever dared to talk to him like that. No one. So why was it that Lee was the only one who could get under his skin without suffering from mutilation? Why was it that he found an inner peace to know that Lee would actually have felt something if he had died? What did Lee possess in order to rile up so many emotions Gaara deemed impossible to feel?

There was something in him that attracted Gaara to Lee like a magnet. He needed to know why. He had decided.

"_You're mine for now, Lee. Until I say so, you can't go away."_


	6. The Memories

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Bummer. :/

* * *

"Dad, what should I do?" His words were muffled as he spoke from the barricade of his crossed forearms. His body leaned in to the smooth marble, cooling his blazing hot skin.

"Somebody was hurt because of me again," he whispered, a tear falling on the surface beneath him. "I p-promised myself I would n-never let that happen again and now here's another one on my conscience."

The tremors in his body became more and more apparent, maybe from the coolness of the night, though clearly it was something else entirely.

"How do I stop things like this from happening?" He choked as he shook his head violently from side to side, small hiccups escaping his raspy throat.

"I-I said some h-horrible things to him….but, would you not do it too?…Would you not feel angered to know somebody was trying t-to end their life using you as an excuse?"

His erratic trembling began to subdue as he lay seemingly calmer, staring out into nothing, murmuring insignificant words that were lost in the air once they left his lips.

"I still cannot control my temper thoroughly. I try so hard, Dad. I do, but I just….I just cannot do it sometimes. Not when everything I try to keep hidden is threatening to be exposed." Wiping his eyes with his palm, he slowly moved from his sprawled position on the marble surface and made himself more comfortable sitting crossed legged on the grass.

"You and Deidara are the only ones who know. I do not want to give people any more reason to look at me with far more disgusted looks if they knew. That was in the past and I wish it to remain there."

Taking deep breaths, he waited until his breathing became slightly more normal than before, lifting his face toward a gray, blanketed sky. A small fluttering breeze wafted across his cheeks, drying the moist, salty skin.

"I wish you were here, Dad," he whispered into the air.

The events of the past few hours began to take its toll on him. His eyes slid closed as his body laid back on the marbled surface. He hadn't even noticed he had fallen asleep until frigid drops of water began to stir him from his pain induced slumber a couple of hours later.

Waking up quite unpleasantly, he rubbed his droopy eyes and gave in to a yawn. Lifting his wrist, he stared at his watch, squinting as he waited for his vision to clear. It was past one in the morning; he had slept for four hours out in the pouring night.

Sighing, he uncertainly stood. His legs had become numb from the extended sitting position and he waited, jumping from one foot to the other for the tingling sensation in his legs to wear off. He was soaked to the bone but he paid no mind to the discomfort of skin clinging garments. All he wanted to do was curl up on his bed and sleep.

After an hour of walking, he finally arrived home. The first thing he did not do as customary was take off his shoes. Instead, he headed directly to his bedroom, already half asleep as he threw his body onto the mattress. He hadn't felt this way in so long. He was physically and mentally exhausted, something he tried hard to avoid on a daily basis.

A few moments later, he finally succumbed to his tired state once more, hoping the night would have mercy on him. Unfortunately, there was something out there against him finding a small piece of serenity.

Lee thrashed around in his bed, cold sweat breaking as his dreamless sleep took a new turn. He found himself being thrown back in time as a spectator of his own nightmare. Everything played out exactly as he remembered, all the small details he had paid no attention to before were there, adding on to that dreadful day.

"_The subject is straight ahead. Do you hear me Fuzzy Brows?"_

"_Yes, Naruto. I shall ran at my top speed to catch him! Yosh" _

"_Lee! Shut it!. We don't want the enemy to notice us."_

_The two boys ran surreptitiously through every tree and hid behind every rock. _

"_Now, Lee! NOW!" _

_Both boys jumped from their hideout and attacked the suspicious dog shielding the subject._

"_Hidden Lotus!"_

"_Rasengan!"_

_The poor dog was simultaneously attacked on both sides and glommed on by two laughing ninjas who had apparently accomplished their rescue mission. _

"_Yosh! We have said yet another innocent victim from the slobbery tortures of Mr. Kyuubi!_

_As they playfully fought with the licks and whines from Kyuubi, laughing at the tickling sensation, they calmed down from their hyper induced high. _

_The young Labrador wiggled his way onto Naruto's lap, nuzzling his wet muzzle on the blonde's pants. _

"_Hey, Fuzzy Brows?…This guy's not half bad. He's really nice and buys me something almost every time we go to the store!"_

_A twelve year old Lee smiled warmly. "If Mr. Iruka is Gai sensei's friend, then it is no doubt that he will be a nice dad."_

_Naruto chuckled. "Though that Kakashi is damn rude sometimes and strange with that scarf always covering half of his face!. He even shows up late when he invites us to eat and he lives with us!…I think he likes Iruka as more than a friend."_

_Lee laughed as he fell backwards and sighed contently, a green frog bag that had fallen victim to their little game was being thrown back and forth in his hands as he lay down on the soft pasture. _

"_I think this will be the last time we ever see that place. Luck is finally starting to show its face to us, huh, Lee?" The eleven year old blond followed suit and collapsed next to his friend with a small thud on the grass beneath the shade of their favorite oak tree. Kyuubi whined as he also bounced with the movement. _

_Throwing the small, green frog bag from his left to his right hand, Lee grinned. Surprisingly, he did not need to word out his happiness like he usually did. Everything just spoke in volumes by themselves. _

_Joyful sounds embodying the liveliness of a park full of bundles of energetic children soon faded as a couple of shadows loomed over Naruto and Lee. _

"_Well look what we have here, brat number one and fag number two. Don't you two look peaceful," the imposing presence sneered while his lackeys snickered. _

"_Deidara, go away." Naruto hissed as he up and stood, glaring scornfully at the unwelcome blond. Kyuubi barked threateningly at the imposers, his teeth showing as he growled. _

"_Why? This is a free country, I can be anywhere I want to be," he smirked, cocking his head to the side, ignoring the dog. _

_Without warning, he swiftly snatched Naruto's gift from Lee's hands and laughed mockingly. _

"_What the fuck is this? Aren't you boys a little too old to be playing with such hideous toys?"_

"_HEY! Give it back, my dad gave it to me!" The smaller blond approached the older one flailing his arms around as he tried to get back his bag._

"_Oh, ho, ho. You feel better than me now that you've been adopted, eh? Well you're not you little fucker," he spat as he tossed the object in his hands to one of his followers. "You're going to find yourself being dragged back to the orphanage. He's going to get tired of you eventually like every person you've gone with so far."_

_Stepping in, Lee's hidden anger began to surface. "Deidara, get away from us and stop saying stuff like that. Give Naruto his bag!" _

_Scoffing Deidara just continued walking backwards as the frog kept being tossed back and forth, creating a game of monkey in the middle. _

"_Ha! Now this is rich. Little ol' Lee is mad and grew some balls. What happened to that compliant little bit-"_

"_SHUT UP!"_

_The long haired blond smiled venomously, his eyes glinting with an awaiting spark. "Make me, fag." _

_Lee was fuming as he threw himself at Deidara, Naruto right behind him, bewildered by his friend's sudden change. His concern with Lee's behavior was instantly discarded, replaced by rage as the older males continued their childish game. _

_Both Naruto and Lee tried to snatch the frog away from the hands of their bullies, but every time they got close to the person who possessed it, the frog was already being thrown to the next. They pushed and scratched everything they could get a hold off: an arm, a chest, a cheek, but the older teens had a better height advantage._

_The teens continuously circled around the two small boys. Every throw directed them all closer to the street, though not one of them was aware of it. _

_Kyuubi jumped in whenever he could, biting and jumping on the three bullies until he was thrown brutally to the base of a tree, falling limply from the impact._

"_Kyuubi!" Naruto screamed, his eyes becoming far more infuriated. _

"_You guys are fucking pitiful excuses for a man. No scratch that, more like a waste of sperm and egg," he laughed sardonically as he kicked the two young boys before him. Naruto caught an opening in his chest before staggering backwards and falling painfully on his bottom. _

_Deidara winced at the unexpected blow, causing his throw to go further than intended. _

_As soon as he saw the small green frog fly through the air, Lee ran as if his life depended on it, forgetting to look where he was going. Before it could touch the concrete floor, Lee captured the frog in his arms turning back to Naruto._

"_Naru! I caught it! I cau-"_

"_LEE!"_

Lee never managed to finish his sentence.

With an abrupt gasp, Lee awoke. A tingling on the left side of his body became more and more profound with every gasping breath he took. For the past couple of nights, the memories of those dreadful years kept repeating themselves. If it wasn't this hellish dream it was the others.

With a quivering voice, he let a mild amount of his frustration out in a single word.

"Fuck."

He was still drained, and although he was afraid of waking up to a new nightmare, he decided to take his chance and sleep. It was because of these stupid dreams he was being deprived of sleep and forced to function on the little naps he managed to fall into. He laid back on his dampened covers, reluctantly closing his eyes, and drifted off into a dreamless, but restless sleep.

* * *

Jiraiya stood outside the old, too familiar apartment complex. He couldn't even remember the last time he had stepped foot inside the deteriorating excuse of a home.

Knocking for the last time he let out an exasperated grunt. He knew the kid was there. One of the neighbors had impatiently told him after the fourth door pounding that Lee had in fact walked into his home at wee hours of the night.

Becoming impatient, he decided to call one of the people he knew had the key to the kid's home.

Hiashi was already awake, drinking a cup of black coffee when he heard the phone ring. "Hyuuga residence."

"Hello, Shi. It's a pleasure to hear you answer the phone."

The head Hyuuga smirked. "Jiraiya, this better be important."

"Oh, why dear partner, it is," his smile could be felt through the line, "but unfortunately, it's not something you can provide. Is Neji there?"

The long haired detective raised an eyebrow. "He is, but why do you need to speak to him?"

"Well, I'm at Gai's place. You remember his kid, right? Lee? I need to talk to him but he won't answer the door. I know Neji has a spare key and I need to speak with Lee urgently about a matter that happened two night ago."

"Care to tell what this _'matter'_ is?" Hiashi asked, a tad bit curious.

The white haired man laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know. Sorry, but under Tsunade's orders, I can't disclose anything to anybody." He could hear the small chuckle coming from the stoic man's throat.

"Still too scared of a woman?" How he secretly liked teasing the man.

Jiraiya shuddered as he thought of his sister. "Have you not seen that woman? With one flick of her pinkie I could be literally thrown across the damn continent!" He was becoming frantic as he waved his unoccupied hand in the air to emphasize his point, forgetting that his actions couldn't be seen.

"Yeah, sure." Letting a final smirk settle on his lips he walked gracefully through the corridors of his not so humble abode and knocked on his nephew's door.

"Neji, you have a call."

Usually, he would not stand for any of his family members to slack off and sleep past seven, but he made an exception. The boy had just arrived from his boarding school in Europe and was probably suffering from jet lag. Contrary to popular belief, he could be sensible at times.

He heard as his nephew stumbled on his way to the door, and immediately replaced his amused countenance with the apathetic one he carried around daily.

When Neji opened the door, he swore he almost melted from the brilliance of the lighting in the hallway. Quickly, he snatched the phone away from his uncle's hands and closed his door with inhumane speed.

"Hello?" He was still in a sleep induced state, and cringed at the way his words slurred.

"Good morning, Neji. I take it you were sleeping pretty soundly?" The pervert chuckled, but stopped when he heard a growl. He wasn't scared of a kid. He wasn't!

"What do you want?"

"Right. Do you still have that extra key to Lee's apartment?"

At the mention of Lee, Neji's drowsiness cleared quickly. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"I need you to open the door for me. Maybe he's asleep and doesn't hear me, but he's not answering the door. I need to talk to him."

Concern began to subtly fill his voice. "Did something happen? Is he alright?"

"I don't know, kid. Look just come over and you can hear of what I've been told has happened. I just need to hear Lee's side of the story."

Nodding, Neji concurred. "I'll be there in fifteen." He hung up before he could hear Jiraiya's parting words.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Neji stood at Lee's front door unlocking it.

"If he didn't answer his door what makes you think he's at his house at all? He could be working with Iruka at the moment."

"After a neighbor told me of Lee's midnight appearance and after calling Iruka, I deduced from the facts provided that he is in fact at home. So now, thank you," he said as Neji opened the door.

As soon as they came inside, they could feel something was wrong. The silence was to loud to be peaceful.

Neji ran to each door in the apartment until he opened the one leading to Lee's bedroom. _Stupid! Why didn't I open this one first?_

The blinds were down, curtains obscuring the light that trespassed the cracks. He let his eyes adjust to the darkness and concentrated on the noise, or lack of in this case. If it was anybody else, they would have heard nothing abnormal, but Neji had the uncanny hearing of a dog. Small, ragged breaths were being emitted from somewhere in the room.

Still unable to completely see, he flicked the switch. When the room became illuminated, he saw a lump on the bed curled in a fetal position, unmistakably shaking.

"Lee?" he called out softly. Approaching the raven slowly, he noticed the change in the boy's breaths. They became sharper, shallow and strained. He reached out his hand and touched abnormally pale skin.

"Shit!" Lee's skin was too cool to be normal. His lips trembled relentlessly and their color was a bluish hue. It was then that he noticed the state of the bed. It was damp, just as his clothes and hair were. His shoes were still on. The cool air coming from the vent was not helping the cause of the situation.

"Jiraiya!" He yelled out.

With taught speed, the white haired detective made his way to the room only to be disoriented by the bright light before approaching the young men.

Neji was working on removing the damp garments from the shivering body. He was glad Lee's reflexes were hindered, though at the moment he would gladly accept any sort of movement from his friend.

"Get me some dry clothes. Fast!" He ordered calmly, his expression belying the concern that coiled deep in his gut..

Jiraiya hurriedly snatched every drawer open as he retrieved some sort of clothing out of every one. He threw every piece onto Lee's bed and watched as Neji cautiously but swiftly stripped Lee. The kid looked horrible and the color of his lips were concerning him greatly. He wasn't a medical genius like his sister, but he knew enough to state with confidence that they were dealing with hypothermia. That was never good.

Under different circumstances, he would have made some sarcastic comment at Neji's uncharacteristic behavior, but at the moment he admired the maturity of the kid.

Jiraiya couldn't help but cringe as the scarred skin was exposed, bandages surprisingly missing. If anything, Lee was one of the few young people who held his utmost respect. That kid had the balls to withstand pain most people never knew of.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice Neji as he finished dressing Lee until he was being pushed, not so kindly, out the way.

Despite Neji's delicate appearance, he was no doubt strong enough to carry the heavy muscle that was Lee. Wrapped in a thick, wool blanket, the overly enthusiastic fellow looked no older than a mere child. A child who was forced to grow up way too quickly.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help me get this dumbass to the hospital?" He asked annoyed. Like his uncle, he was not a patient man.

Trailing right behind, he raised his hands in surrender. "No need for name calling. What did the poor lad to in order to deserve such a name?"

Without stopping, Neji answered in his most apathetic voice, "Because he always puts everyone before himself."

Jiraiya nodded as he closed the front door. "Yes maybe, but simpleton is a much better cognomen, if you ask me."

"Nobody did."

"Ouch."

As they made their way to Jiraiya's truck, Neji raised a fine eyebrow. "What, no squad car today?"

Opening the back door to his black Ford f150, the white haired detective quickly ran to the driver's side, strapped his seatbelt and waited for Neji to climb in the back seat with Lee.

"Naw, I wanted to keep a low profile for today," he smiled sadly.

"Hn. Now tell why you need to talk to Lee."

Jiraiya chuckled internally. Damn Hyuugas and their demanding genes. He couldn't even enjoy the simplicity of small talk with them.

"There was a…disturbance yesterday close to Ichiraku's. Lee was involved according to the owner. Three guys made their way to the restaurant and began to cause a discomfort around Lee and his date, a woman named Sakura, I believe. They left the establishment, but were continued to be followed by those three males. After that he saw nothing else. He said he heard a gunshot outside, but did not see who fired it or who was injured.

"I talked to Tsunade, who has all persons involved, excluding Lee, being monitored." He rubbed the back of his neck, easing a bit of the tension as he kept his eyes straight on the road.

"How much damage?" Neji asked, absentmindedly running his fingers through surprisingly relaxed, soft hair. Lee was lying on his side, still in a curled position with his head resting on his friend's lap. He was still trembling, but Neji hoped the change of clothing and the warm A/C would help him gain heat.

Jiraiya sighed. "Crap, kid. Lee did a good number on them. All together there was a total of six broken ribs, one concussion, a dislocated shoulder, one broken nose and three broken fingers."

Neji leaned his head back on the tinted window and closed his eyes.

"Shit."

"I know, kid. This is not something that we can be lenient about," Jiraiya stated sadly.

Sighing, Neji continued his gentle ministration on Lee's hair. "Do you know if he was the one who threw the first punch?"

"No, that's why I was at his door today."

"What about the gun shot? Was there anybody injured or was it just a distraction?"

"Gaara Sabaku was the victim. A shot to the side of his abdomen."

The long haired young man opened his eyes widely. Gaara was not someone he expected to come into the picture.

"How did that happen?"

Jiraiya sighed. "This is where the story changes. Sabaku's version doesn't coincide with the restaurant owner's. According to him, he was walking outside Ichiraku's when three guys who had just come out of the building, attacked him and asked for his money. Lee, who had come out just a short time before the assailants made his way back to the restaurant for some reason or another when he saw the Gaara in trouble and fought them off. He said Lee basically left all of them unconscious or so he thought until a shot was fired and he felt the blood trailing down his side. He wouldn't say anything asides from that. I've got to say that kid has the same passive nature as you do"

Neji grimaced indignantly at the last comment. "So you need Lee to clear up the story. What about those three scumbags, did you not talk to them? Or Sakura?"

"I can't get in touch with the girl. I talked to her father and he said she arrived home pretty late but left the house relatively early. He gave me her phone number but her phone's turned off."

He stopped at a red light and glanced at the two males in the back from the mirror before continuing. "Now those three punks have quite the criminal record. The fact that they were in possession of an illegal weapon and 10 grams of cocaine is enough to send them immediately to a couple of years in jail and a fine of a nice sum of ten grand.

"If we go with Sabaku's story not only will they be charged with aforementioned penalties, but robbery, battery and assault will add to their years and fees. But in this case we have two completely different scenarios to analyze.

"I tried talking to those three, but they wouldn't divulge anything. They just stared into the wall and pretty much ignored my interrogation, except the blond Deidara, though he was fucking delusional due to the concussion."

The light turned green and Jiraiya sped off. "If Lee threw the first punch, well there's not a lot I can do to help except hope the judge goes easy on him; a fine of a few thousand and community service. I can't say the same thing for the others."

He rounded the corner towards the hospital's entrance and slammed on the brakes. "Now hurry! I may work for the law but that doesn't mean I'm exempt from the god-awful tickets."

Neji nodded once and opened the door, cradling the shaking Lee in his arms. Walking as fast as he could, he entered the hospital building and with a mere glare at the receptionist, he was already being attended by a nearby nurse.

The coloring in Lee's features had not gotten any better, and his shivering had not stopped, though in this case that was a good sign. Lee had not entered into the severe state of hypothermia.

A doctor was called forth and immediately took Lee in one of the stretchers. Neji continued to follow the doctor until he was held back by one of the nurses after he ignored their verbal requests. Exasperated, he obeyed and walked over to the waiting room and sat down on the uncomfortable seats.

Jiraiya found the long haired male with his head tilted back, eyes closed and hands resting on his knees. Silently, he trudged through the room and sat next to him.

"He's going to be fine," he assured the man, his voice holding complete conviction, though he did not know if he was talking health wise or law wise. He hoped for both.

Neji remained quiet. Not a single shift in his body was made to signalize he had heard. Slowly, he opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling. "I know. He's just so stupid." He inhaled deeply and sighed tiredly.

They sat in relative silence. The sound of a moving hospital droned endlessly through their ears.

Tsunade walked rather cheerfully through the halls of the hospital feeling rejuvenated after a much needed nap. Although tiring, she never regretted her decision of becoming a doctor. She loved the rush of adrenaline every time she was faced to challenge death.

Looking at the medical files in her hands, she almost missed the two figures sitting somberly in the waiting room.

"Hey sis." Jiraiya chuckled lightly as the busty woman tried to play off her surprised stumble. Neji, once again had his eyes closed and opened them just in time to see Tsunade's smile falter.

"Jiraiya, Neji. What are you guys doing here?" She had a nagging hunch that their presence had something to do with Lee.

Jiraiya knew how much his blond sister cared for the kid who had given her so much grief and trouble and thus felt slightly pained to have to deliver the news. "Well, see….we brought Lee here for a case of hypothermia."

Tsunade stood still for a moment before walking off in the direction she had just came from a minute ago. Mentally she was seething. Not twenty-four hours ago had she seen Lee; bruised yes, but healthy nonetheless. _That kid loves to give me a run for my money. _

As she click-clacked her way down the poignantly sanitized hall, she snatched the first nurse who was unfortunate to cross paths with the doctor and dragged her along with her.

"Who's treating a young man with hypothermia and where." Her tone was professionally calm as she spoke. Luckily, the nurse had been the one who had directed said man inside one of the examining rooms.

"Dr. Kabuto is with him right now in examining room 7."

The blond doctor scowled. That man rubbed her the wrong way since the first day she transferred.

"Thanks." Briskly, she walked off towards room 7, determined to be the one to attend a child she felt as her own.

* * *

It was seven in the morning. Gaara sat on the uncomfortable hospital bed for the second day since the incident, talking on the phone.

After Lee left him in a state of utter confusion, he resolved to find out every detail about the man by his own means. He didn't care for privacy. If he wanted something he would get it and at the moment he wanted to know what made his property, though said property did not know he had been claimed, tick.

"Baki, find everything you can about a man called Rock, Lee and report back to me no later than twelve o'clock."

With a curt nod he listened to the short response from the one person who held his trust completely, he shut his phone and waited

There was nothing he could really do in the enclosed room but stare at the wall or the window. He was tired of watching the ignorant fools on T.V. and the books that sat on the table next to him had been read more than once over the last years at home.

He hated the limited freedom the hospital gave him. He would normally welcome the quiet and peace whenever it was presented to him but the smell of antiseptic and the white, abysmal walls kept reminding him of the conversation with Lee, driving him insane, or more so than usual.

He had never been one to appreciate nature or the outside world in general, but if he was not given the opportunity to roam out somewhere and inhale something other than his recycled breathing, he would sue the damn hospital for every penny it was worth.

His siblings had not made their presence to his relief. He did not need any more smothering hugs or talks, which would eventually leave him bald if they did not stop. He did not see why they were being so protective over an injury that was more of a nuisance than life threatening.

At the moment though, he wished his sister was there to scare the nurses into getting him the okay to roam around and escape his claustrophobic cell.

He leaned back into the slightly raised bed, his eyes instantly glued to the labyrinth-like patterns on the ceiling. Somehow focusing on the scattered lines helped his psyche and cleared his focus as he thought back on Lee's visit. Witnessing the sudden change in Lee's demeanor from amiably shy to indignant reproach had caused every muscle in his body to twitch with a certain excitement. To be able to break a false mask and see the true face was a defense mechanism he had picked up on as a kid after being betrayed by the one person whom he thought loved him despite what he had caused.

_Who would kill for me?_ He asked himself. His brother and sister had changed; he knew that, but would they really seek vengeance for his spilled blood? Would they really kill if they know it would somehow bring him back to life?

He doubted that. Plus he would rather stay dead. There was no life worth living in his continued existence.

There was one thing which had stuck to his thought. _'Don't make others feel guilty when all they want to do is live with no more nightmares to add on to their nights.' _

What had Lee lived through that kept him up just like himself? His nightmares were the reason he had become an insomniac. The image of his mother lying lifelessly on the floor covered in blood, her body angled awkwardly, her neck lolling as his father picked up her fragile body, screaming; it was forever engraved in his mind.

Before he knew it, he had curled into himself despite the burning pain from his wound, images of the accident replaying itself over and over again in his head. His eyes closed in a futile attempt to block the images.

_He had been four at the time. The contrast between his toddler self and the present him was unbearably palpable. This little Gaara was smiling. His soft, small hand held on to a woman who looked at him with such love and gentleness. His other hand tightly held his favorite stuffed raccoon whose features contained the same dark, rimmed eyes as Gaara's painted ones._

_The yearly festival had been in town at the time. It was already late and the Sabaku family were preparing to leave after having enjoyed themselves to exhaustion. The siblings though, unanimously pouted when their parents began to signal their departure. _

_On their way out into the parking lot, his parents had encountered a peculiarly dressed man with a bowl shaped hairdo. He had been loud and overexcited when his parents had introduced their three kids. Gaara had been left with a slight shiver with the man's overly enthusiastic outbursts and abnormally white teeth. _

_As his parents engaged themselves in a small talk with the man, something caught his eye. In the middle of the road, a brown plus toy unmistakably resembling a squirrel sat lonely in the dirty pavement. _

_Cautious that his parents were not going to stop him, he stealthily walked toward the road, his own stuffed animal hanging loosely in his hand. Approaching the center of the street, he hurried and picked up the forgotten squirrel, smiling down at his newly acquired company for his raccoon._

"_Gaara? Gaara, where are you?" A frantic voice called out. _

_Sensing his mother's worry, he called out "right here mommy" and waved his hand happily to signal his presence. _

_He saw as his mother's face changed from worrisome to relieved and finally contorted into something he couldn't decipher. He watched as his mom ran towards him crying "Move baby! Move away"_

_Not understanding what his mother was saying, he turned his head to the direction she was looking at._

_A car was quickly heading straight to him with no indication of stopping. There was the perpetual sound of the claxon being pressed, but it did nothing to prompt the small red head into moving. On the contrary, he found himself to be frozen in place as he watched the car come closer and closer, his limbs rendered helpless. Then in an instant his whole world fell apart. _

_Before he had a chance to blink, he had been pushed out of the way by the warm, gentle hands he would no longer have the pleasure of holding. His head throbbed from the impact with the sidewalk, a small trickle of blood running down his pale neck. His skin burned from the road rash. _

_Everything was blurry. His vision kept being filled by white dots and the dizziness was becoming revolting, but yet, he opened his eyes to take in his surroundings. The image that awaited him on the middle of the street completely overtook the smiling woman he had come to known. Now, he found a distorted version of that woman in the blood covered being that lay broken on the street. _

_Her body looked completely wrong and grotesque for his young eyes. He stared dumbfounded at the open, lifeless eyes he had last seen sparkling with mirth. This woman was his mother, yet he could not find the resemblance his brain had stored. _

_His father came running to her side immediately, albeit it seemed slow in Gaara's eyes. The look on his face was that of utter disbelief and distress. Gaara witnessed for the first time as the strong man he knew to be his father, crumble and break as he held on to his wife's limp body. _

_Gaara could faintly hear the screams from the people around him. A woman near him was hysterically dialing 911. The weird man he had met prior to the accident was trying to pry his mother off his father's arms; his happy countenance was gone._

_As his father furiously complied, his eyes flickered over to his son. Suddenly, all the pain had transformed from grief to rage. Before Gaara know it, he was picked up harshly from the ground. His father's eyes narrowed to slits. Anger swirled within them as he looked at his son. _

"_This is all your fault! Your mother is dead because of you, you damn devil! All your fault! All your fault!" _

_The bowl cut man once again pried Gaara from the clutches of his father telling to him to calm down. The wails of the ambulance sirens were getting closer and closer. He remained in the arms of the bowl cat man who tried to block the vision of his mother's body _

_When the ambulance finally arrived, he was quickly taken to the paramedics where they strapped him on a stretcher. As he boarded the vehicle he caught a glance of his father one last time. _

"_You son of a bitch you killed her. You killed her!" His father had lost it. _

Gaara opened his eyes, painfully aware of the silence that stretched to no end in the small room. He remained in a curled position on the bed. Cold sweat trickled down his temples causing him to shudder even more. As he began to uncurl himself, he glanced at the clock near the window. It now read 11:30.

He internally groaned. This was the reason he hardly slept now. He had basically murdered his mother. This was something he could never absolve himself from.

He slowly lifted himself up and lay back on the bed. Baki would deliver his requested information any time soon. He needed to be awake and ready. Looking out the window, the faint sounds from the outside of his room began to fill his ears. He could distinctly hear the squeaking of people's shoes, the muffled conversations, Tsunade's screams directed at Lee….

Wait…had he heard right?

"_LEE! Get back to your room NOW! Or I will sure as hell keep that promise I made you back then!" _Yeah, That was most definitely Tsunade. He had listened to her more than enough to recognize her voice. _Could she be screaming at his Lee?_

"_Awww come on Ms. Tsunade, it was only a mild case of hypothermia. I feel perfectly fine now. I just need some fresh air."_

There was no mistaking it, that was his Lee.

Outside of his room stood a very furious blond doctor glaring daggers at the boy in front of her. How he managed to roam around for an hour without permission without any of the nurses noticing his absence was beyond her, but she would not allow Lee to fatigue himself even further than she found out he was after a thorough examination.

"I swear, Lee, if you don't get back to your room I will ca-"

""Sis, it's okay. I'll take him there myself. I believe he knows what we need to talk about," Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at Lee as he appeared behind his sister.

Of course Lee knew. He had been waiting for the consequences to come after his little 'fit.'

"Y-yeah. Sure." The young male made his way back tentatively, his hand grasping the back opening of his hospital gown to conceal his bare back.

Jiraiya followed suit, patting his sister's stiff shoulders as he passed by. Tsunade watched the two retreating figures and sighed heavily. She made a note to herself to contact the blond brat to get Lee eating right. He might not eat anything that isn't noodles, but she knew Iruka had converted him to a surprisingly good chef.

After recomposing herself, she turned to her left and entered the room where a red head was due for a check up.

* * *

Lee entered his dreaded room, Jiraiya right behind him. The detective sat on the chair close to the window while contemplating his questions. The young raven stood near the window a couple of feet away from his interrogator, watching as the world moved on.

"I started it," Lee uttered softly.

Jiraiya stared at the kid. _Well there goes my fifth question._

"Started what?"

"The fight. I threw the first punch. I beat Deidara, Tobi and Sasori. Me. All by myself. Gaara was an innocent bystander," he clarified, raking his hand through his obsidian locks.

The detective nodded, sure of the fact that Lee's version was the truth. "Why, though?"

Lee shrugged as he turned his attention on Jiraiya. "I do not know. I became aggravated and angered by his insults and…I just….lost it."

Jiraiya couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he sensed something different about the boy.

"Will this affect my dream of becoming a cop?"

There! He found it. That question had ignited and honest and sincere emotion from the face which had been devoid of any just a few seconds ago.

Staring into the black pools, he noticed that pain that swirled inside them. With a small, genuine smile, he stood and clamped his hand on lee's shoulder. "I'm sure we can work something out when the time comes."

The white haired detective retreated his hand and faced the window, leaning in on the windowsill. "Answer me one last question," he continued to stare at the horizon, drinking in the beauty of it, "have you gotten laid yet?" His smirk reflected on the clear glass.

Lee stared befuddled until the meaning sunk in. His face turned ten shades of red as he sputtered inarticulate words. "How….why….do not say such crude things! It is not youthful to use such terms for an act that is meant to be done with your most special person. You treat it as if it should be a one night stand and-"

"Calm down, Lee," Jiraiya chuckled. He did not regret saying it. This Lee was far more suited than a serious Lee. "I was just messing with you."

Lee's blood still seemed to be rushing to his head. The detective was almost afraid he would pass out from the amount that was accumulating up there.

"Hey, kid, breath or Tsunade will have my balls if something else happens to you." Slowly, Lee's face began to return to its normal honey color.

Lee smiled genuinely as he became more relaxed. The man might be a pervert, but he knew how to cheer up a person.

Sighing, Jiraiya made his way to the door. "Lee, be careful. Alright? I'll notify you on your court day." With a wave of his had he was out of the door.

Lee looked up at the clock. It was midday and he was already going insane being cooped up in the four walled room.

_Well, they did not prohibit me from exercising. _Moving away from the window he began his arduous stretching.

* * *

Tsunade could not believe the brat. _Who does he think he is to be ordering me around! Damned brat!_

"I'm sorry. We still need to keep you monitored one more day before we can let you out to walk around." She gave her clipboard a final read through and smiled falsely. "Until then you are stuck here."

"Hn." Even though Gaara was presenting her with his most deathly glare, Tsunade equaled his own and smirked. "Kid, you have a long way to go until you can intimidate me." Gaara just glared harder at the voluptuous woman.

"Why is Lee here?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Why would you like to know?" When he didn't answer her she sighed in frustration, rubbing the wrinkles on her deceptively young face.

"He was admitted for hypothermia." Glancing at the boy she noticed the glare intensifying tenfold. "Satisfied?"

"Hn." Accepting her response he looked away from the doctor and toward the window.

To say Tsunade was annoyed was a major understatement. Next time she would order a nurse to deal with the red head and get him off her hands. With one last look at Gaara, she left to her next patient.

Not a minute after the doctor left did Baki appear, papers requested in his briefcase.

"Sir. Gaara, I have the requested information."

Gaara turned and nodded for Baki to step forward to present him with his needed information.

With a quiet 'thank you' his trusted messenger left as quickly as he had come.

Opening the black briefcase, he took out the single manila folder which seemed to not contain much.

Name: Rock, Lee

DOB: November 27, 1993

Blood Type: A

Biological father: Rock, Kaito (deceased)

Biological mother: Rock, Sayuri (deceased)

Adoptive parents 1: Yashagoro

Adoptive parent 2: Maito, Gai (deceased)

Gaara was learning more about Lee with the help of Baki than he would ever learn as quickly from Lee. The gist of Lee's life was typed for his knowledge and he felt no shame in invading his privacy. He belonged to him now.

Gaara was amazed at how many people Lee had lost. He had only lost his mother and that still haunted him even now, but Lee, he had lost three. Since he was young he had been placed in Konoha Orphanage until he was adopted at age six. Two years later he had returned. There was not explanation why. He lived in the orphanage another year until he was adopted by Gai who after two years passed away while on the job. Three shots: one in the abdomen, one in the chest and one in the head. It was on that same day Lee had been involved in a car accident where his left leg and arm was severely damaged to a point that was impossible to fully recover from. But Lee had proved everybody wrong and became a world miracle.

Afterwards, he was put under the care of Iruka, who had been a long time friend of Gai. Currently, he lived by himself working odd jobs to earn money. The rest of the file contained records of Lee's accomplishments, awards and many hospital records. He skimmed through the papers, noticing that Lee was still in debt to the hospital. He continued to look through until one hospital record stood out.

The day was one he would never forget. His eyes widened as he took his time to read every single line on the paper. On the bottom the amount due was paid in full on the same day. The signature was one he knew too well. On the side was a picture of a man he could still remember with great detail.

"…no it can't be. It can't!"


	7. The Link

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is not mine.

**A/N: Question! Does the length bother anyone? Should I try to make chapters shorter? God knows I try but I cannot do it for some reason. :( **

* * *

Lee awoke from another restless sleep, though thankfully, none of the nightmares had bothered him. Glancing at the window, he could see that the day was not over; it was probably nine o'clock at the latest. Glancing at the clock, he confirmed his assumption. Yep, 9:15. In less than twelve hours he would be free to leave back to the comfort of his own home. He groaned in slight desperation at the wait. Hospitals were the only thing he would admit to hating out loud.

Sitting up, he made his way to the edge of the bed and grabbed the guitar leaning against the wall.

A few minutes after Jiraiya had left, Iruka trudged in, his notoriously pissed off face in place and Lee knew exactly why; papers needed to be signed and since Iruka became his official guardian after Gai's death, he was the man to call.

Of course he was grateful for everything the brunet did for him, he just wished the lecture about taking care of himself could have waited until after the nurses exited the room. He was sure the poor things were still suffering from temporary deafness.

Then the incident came up. He didn't know what to expect from the brunet: a series of more yells, a powerful swat to the head or a threat he used quite regularly to have Lee move in with Naruto and him. What he received though, was complete understanding. Sure there was disappointment and some ensuing lectures that seemed to drone on endlessly, but there was no sign of culpability or anger.

Iruka, apparently, knew what it was like to be patronized and ridiculed and since this was the first real fight Lee had ever become involved in, he would let it go with minor consequences.

Of course those consequences meant he would have to stay over at Iruka's place for a week and be worked like a dog to make up for the endless amount of dreaded paperwork the brunet had to sign for Lee's hospital admittance and his ensuing presence in court.

They continued talking, just mundane routine filling the room sustaining enough distraction for Lee.

He couldn't help but smile as Iruka was forcibly dragged out of the room by a very exasperated Kakashi, who had been silently sitting in the corner reading his perverted novels. Two hours was the most the man would take of the disinfected building and knowing Iruka they would have most likely been there the whole night if not for his not so tender pushing.

Thankfully, their visit was not done to just sign papers and reprimand him for his reckless behavior the night before. Iruka knew how deep Lee's hatred toward hospitals ran and he never failed to allay that sensation by bringing him his precious baby, his comfort, his guitar.

Years of being in sports had practically ensued him to a life coming in and out of hospitals: ankle sprains, torn ligaments exerted muscle pains and even the monthly therapy sessions he was still obligated to attend always brought him back to the place he dreaded most.

Luckily, he was permitted to bring his guitar every time he needed to stay more than 12 hours. Iruka was the best for remembering to bring it along.

Now a few hours after his nap, he sat on the edge of the windowsill looking out into a darkness, brightly illuminated by the full moon above. His room's lights had been turned off as soon as he woke up, the moon's radiance enveloping the ward, helping Lee forget for the smallest moments of exactly where he was.

Gently, he began to strum each string checking to see if they were in tune. They were of course. There was not a day in which Lee did not play a song or two. It was just more of a soothing habit.

After years of playing, his guitar had become his comforting solace in times when everything caused him utter desperation, when his world became a horrid turmoil where, even for the smallest moments, he believed nothing could be mended. Times when he almost gave up.

Only Naruto, Iruka and Neji knew of his obsessive love for music. They were the only ones who had seen his special room dedicated to very artist, every album, every decade that had produced the most inspiring, emotional and just plain old brilliantly youthful songs he had ever heard.

Shelf, after shelf, after shelf decorated every one of his four walls of that room. A special wall of it had been especially constructed for the vinyl records he found in second hand stores and garage sales, his record player placed right in the middle. Some people just didn't know what treasures they held. Another wall was specifically designed to hold his foreign interests while the last two alphabetically stored the rest of his collection.

It had taken him years to collect the amount of records, cassettes and CD's he owned and much of the cash came from his pocket, but he would never regret the amount of money invested into his succor.

In that room he felt free, like the life he led every waking moment did not exist. He could spend hours in that room just listening to songs he could relate to and could spur every emotion to come out with a vengeance. He would follow along with his favorite artist, lose himself in the cadence and smile with the assurance that everything would be alright.

Looking out the window, he began to hum a random melody, accompanying it with a soft strumming of random chords. Little by little the sounds became louder, reverberating through the room and filling his ears in the most pleasant of ways. A medley of songs played one after the other, fusing together as if they were meant to be one.

He would never be able to state which song he preferred above the rest. There were too many that held their own greatness to even choose one.

It was in moments like these that he forgot everything that man put him through and thanked the person he had met who showed him that there could be a brighter side, an escape.

He finally found himself absently singing _Love Hurts_, his fingers moving graciously and flawlessly over each string, strumming them to produce a clear and crisp sound. Usually he never sings. He never felt confident about his voice, but he was alone so he didn't give a damn.

"_Tonight we drink to youth…"_

Or so he thought.

Leaning against the wall in the small passage before entering the room, a blonde stood, passively staring into Lee's form near the window.

His entire being was lit by the fluorescent white glow of the moon, protruding from the shadows in the room. He seemed completely at ease. Just him and his guitar.

Temari didn't know if she should even be intruding in what seemed to be a private moment. She had to say she was impressed with the kid's playing skills and his voice was not bad at all. There weren't a lot of people she knew who had a taste for Incubus. She herself quite enjoyed the chill songs on the called occasions of getting drunk.

She analyzed the boy before her. The hospital gown had been discarded, only loose fitted jeans hung on his hips, his bare torso exposed. The light outside managed to capture every indentation on his arm, crisscrossing in unnamed patterns, the muscles contracting and accentuating the scars as he changed his fingering positions. She couldn't help but cringe at the sight.

She was still debating with herself whether or not to intrude on the boy's peace. She had been a bitch to kid. Sure she was still pissed at Lee for being able to strike up Gaara's interest and being the cause of the red head's stupid act of chivalry, but she reasoned Lee had little to do with Gaara's decisions. If from what she had investigated herself was correct, Lee had been holding his own pretty well, that is, until the gun was pulled out.

Opting to give the strange kid the heads up, she cleared her throat.

Lee jumped slightly, his singing breaking with a small yelp as he turned his head to the sound of the noise. Seeing as the moon's natural light only extended until a certain length, he could not make out who the person was.

Temari walked further in, revealing herself to the boy who gasped in surprised after seeing who she was.

Lee's mouth lay agape. He was not expecting a visit this late at night, especially not one from the person who promised to tear him apart the next time she saw him.

Temari couldn't see his expression for it was obscured by the shadows, but she could imagine it resembled a fish out of the water.

"Lee."

"Ms. Temari."

"Just call me Temari. You're making me feel old with the Ms.

Lee nodded slowly, but made no other move to say anything else, so Temari decided to continue.

"Okay….Uh, kid…" She didn't know how to word it. She had just found out a few hours before and dealing with Gaara had pretty much exhausted her thinking ability.

"…how are you? Heard you played out in the rain to long," she was stalling and she knew it.

Lee smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"I am just fine, Temari. I have even told the nurses and Dr. Tsunade that I feel better than ever but they still won't let me leave until tomorrow," he pouted slightly. "Dr. Tsunade is just being overprotective. There is no reason for me to occupy a room that would be better off needed by somebody who is actually ill."

"Well, apparently you did give her quite a scare. She kept muttering to herself while she checked on Gaara. Something about you giving her a run for her money."

A small tinge of pink rose on the raven's cheek. He wasn't sure if the blonde would be able to see it, but he averted his eyes away from her and looked out the window again.

"Has she been your doctor before, Lee?" Temari approached the strange male who only nodded reluctantly in response. She finally made her way to bed, sitting directly across from Lee.

"…why do you ask?" The question was said so quietly that Temari had to lean forward in order to hear. Groaning internally, she decided to just tell him. She never beat around the bush so why was she doing it now?

"Lee what do you remember from five years ago….about your accident."

Lee stiffened, only a limited amount of people knew about it and he was most certain Temari was not one of those few.

"What do you mean?"

"Lee, just tell me."

Lee finally looked her straight in the eyes. Despite the shadows cast upon his face, Temari could see the turmoil of emotions just seeping out like waves through those expressive, ebony pools. Her heart clenched slightly just staring into those eyes.

"Why do you want to know and how is it that you even know about it in the first place." His voice was like ice, easily rivaling Gaara's own.

"I-"

For the first time, Temari couldn't articulate her words.

"Kid, I….I'm so sorry. I'm genuinely sorry for everything you've been through. I just want you to know that."

Lee's expression turned form raging pain to that of complete perplexity.

"Why would you be sorry, Ms. Temari? You've done nothing wrong."

Temari's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at the formality.

"Lee, the car that ran you over was one of our cars, my father's to be more exact." She saw as Lee's eyes widened little by little once the information sunk in. Before he could say anything, she continued.

"And your dad's death he…he was shot while on a rescue mission that involved Gaara. He had been sold to a man by our own uncle who in turn converted the transaction into a ransom a week later." Her voice had turned cold, deadly as she recalled those painful memories. Even though she had not fully forgiven her brother, the single finger that was dropped off to their door with the ransom note had ignited the beginning of her realization toward the cruelty she bestowed on her baby brother.

"A finger had been sent to us and warned that if we did not present them with the money they demanded, we would find ourselves with daily surprises after the deadline.

"We had the money ready and even though they had warned us that involving the police would jeopardize everything, your father somehow found out.

"Detective Gai and my father had been well acquainted before and only him and his partner became involved, promising to keep the situation quiet. The very next day my father set out to the warehouse where the exchange would take place. Your dad had already driven to the place the night before to find a place where he could trap the bastards.

"You, unfortunately had not been an obstacle my father was expecting." Temari stopped for a moment. She was surprised she was halfway into the story without her voice cracking.

"My mom she…she passed away due to a car accident and I guess my father's cold heart melted when he saw what he had done to a boy. He called the ambulance and just stayed with you, paid for the entire hospital bill.

"The entire process was delayed because of it though, and your father…well, he took it upon himself to get Gaara out. I don't know much of the details but Gai successfully managed to get a hold Gaara, somehow apprehending every man around the warehouse and just as they were about to escape, a man who had managed to hide well enough blocked them.

"G-Gaara saw your dad as he was shot. The other detective involved successfully stopped the fourth shot from hitting your dad, injuring the other in the chest. The cops were called, ambulances came, but your father had already past away before they even arrived."

Temari stopped talking then. She assumed Lee knew the rest of the story involving his father and seeing as Gaara was with them, his escape. Throughout the entire time she looked out the window, not daring to meet the boy's gaze.

Lee on the other hand, had not said a single thing. He had not even moved from his position when Temari began talking. He did not even gasp.

Suddenly, he let out a breath he didn't know when he had begun to hold. His hands tightened into fists on the guitar, his eyes looked vacant.

Too much had been said. Too much information to take in. _Gaara's father had been the one who hit him? Gaara had been sold? Gaara had also suffered greater pains? Gaara had been the boy whom his father had saved that day, who had now saved his own life just a few nights ago? _

Tears began to roll down his cheeks.

It had hurt. It had hurt when he lay nearly broken on the asphalt. It had hurt when the news about his father's death were the first thing he woke up to following his surgery. It had hurt when he lost the single person who made him feel as though he had a real family, but even though it still hurt, those were pains he had endured and overcome with time, with the help of those close friendships.

Now, what hurt him the most was how he had acted in front of Gaara. How he practically spat in his face without knowing the skeletons the boy hid. Gaara had saved his life and the only gratitude Lee showed was him being a complete asshole.

Temari could hear the small intakes of breath and slowly turned her eyes to the raven in front of her. Tears glistened on the tan skin, cascading down quickly from his cheeks. She wanted to do something for the kid, but she had never dealt with someone as emotionally driven as Lee.

She should have just left instead of opening her big mouth, but now that Gaara also knew of Lee's connection to him, she needed to inform the kid before Gaara demanded answers Lee would not be able to even comprehend, let alone answer without that hostile demeanor that flickered on his face for a few seconds minutes before.

They remained silent for a couple of more moments. Lee's tears subdued, only small hiccups were left behind.

"Why was he sold?"

The question caught the blonde off guard and she momentarily panicked before calming herself down.

"I don't know. I guess Yashamaru held a grudge against Gaara. It had been Gaara, who was four at the time, who stood in the middle of the street as the car approached and my mom…..she pushed him out of the way only to be hit instead.

"My mom was his sister. After the accident we all blamed Gaara for mom's death and Yashamaru decided to take him in and raise him since he could tell we weren't being very family like with him. My father held the most hate toward Gaara, screaming and insulting him every time they crossed paths. Me and Kankuro, we…we just ignored him as much as we could.

"Yashamaru was like a father to Gaara. We left him feeling bereft while Yashamaru showered him with affections we could not feel and thus Gaara trusted him more than anybody. After a few years, I guess her death finally started to sink in and he began abusing Gaara, hitting him, leaving scars, blaming him for his sister's death. Gaara would just take it though, as long as his uncle still wanted him, told him that he was loved, he would let the abuses continue.

"It wasn't until that bastard almost killed him that he fought back and Yashamaru made plans to sell him away. He found someone who showed interest in Gaara, knowing of his affluent background and offered Yashamaru a hundred grand only to ask us ten times that amount."

Lee listened quietly and couldn't stop a few of the growls that seeped past his throat. How could anyone treat a young boy like that? How could they just treat him as if he was nothing more than a stain on the wall?

"What happened to him?" He asked hoarsely.

"Yashamaru? He was sent to prison, not only for child trafficking, but for possession of a variety of drugs and their distribution."

"Why would you blame Gaara? It was not his fault." He wrapped his arms securely around his guitar, giving him some kind of purchase for the sudden anger he felt.

Temari sighed. The boy really liked to ask questions she didn't even know the answers to herself.

"I don't know. I was a kid and all I could think of was watching my mother being hit all because my stupid younger brother decided to pick up a stupid stuffed squirrel." Despite her act to seem calm and collected, a tiny bit of childlessness could be picked up from her tone.

"He was the only person I could think of putting the blame on for the loss of my mom."

Lee's head cocked to the side. "A squirrel?"

"He was very keen on getting new stuffed animals." Temari smiled softly, even now his eyes would change every time he saw something fluffy.

Lee chuckled gently. "I remember I lost my favorite one at a festival. It happened to be a squirrel too, but because my mas- adoptive father, because he was in a hurry, he just pulled me along a large group of people and I guess I lost it amidst the crowd." He hoped Temari had not picked up on his correction.

Temari stared incredulously, unaware of his distress. _Lee couldn't be talking about the same festival could he? It was just a coincidence that the stuffed animal happened to be a squirrel. That is all, right?_

Before Temari could ask if it was, Lee suddenly bolted from his sitting position, startling the blonde.

"That was not his finger was it? I did not see any deformities on his hand before," he asked worriedly. Gaara shouldn't have gone through any of that. He did not deserve it! No child should have to go through anguishing pains like those.

"No, fortunately not. It was more of a threat to have us follow their sick plans."

Lee let a big sigh escape his lips. He didn't know why but he felt as if nothing should harm the boy who had begun his own suffering at the tender age of four. He knew kids thrived from affection and without it they just grew up to become cold and untouchable, just like Gaara had become.

"What about your dad? Does he still act as hateful as before?"

Temari thought about that one. Long and hard. "We can finally have dinner together. I guess you could say it's gotten….better. Sometimes, Gaara and him strike up a five second conversation.

"He's trying. It's excruciatingly slow but he's making progress with his interaction with Gaara."

Le nodded slowly, "That is…good."

Temari suddenly felt….uncomfortable. Lee had taken in everything without a single glare directed at her, without hatred in his voice. Instead he cared more about Gaara's well being despite that everything he had suffered had involved the Sabaku family.

"Kid, you….you don't hate us?"

Lee stopped his inner thoughts and blinked blankly at the question.

"Hate you? Why would I feel such a thing towards you? You did nothing wrong. For the accident, I was at fault. If I had looked before I ran into the street I would have been fine. My dad, he was doing what he grew up to believe in, justice. He risked his life everyday and I never blamed anyone for the times he came home hurt. On the contrary I am proud that he was able to help you get Gaara back. Things happen, if they had not occurred when they did, then they might have occurred days, weeks, even a few years later. Would you still be asking that question even if it had not involved you?"

Temari stared. She had never met a person so forgiving and… somewhat logical in her life. "Lee, you sure are something else," she smirked. She stood up from the bed slowly. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to do this.

Lee was still looking at her, nothing but pure innocence on his face. He was surprised when the blonde stood in front of him, her hands uncertainly coming up to wrap around his back.

The raven stood quite stupefied before he let a small smile graze upon his lips. The hand that was not holding the guitar came up to wrap itself around the slightly shorter person. They stood there, awkwardly holding each other until Temari loosened her hold and stepped back.

"Well…that was….new," she had never held someone like that and although gawky, it was…refreshing for a lack of a better word.

Lee smiled brightly. Somehow, he believed this night had begun a rather lasting friendship.

Temari cleared her throat before speaking, "Now, you tell anyone how mushy I just got and I swear your kids will never know what hit them."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Lee laughed joyously. "Of course. This will just be a secret between us both."

Temari waved and began to walk towards the door feeling as if some weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Just as she was about to open the door she turned back.

Lee had resumed the position she first saw him in the minute she walked through the door, except his expression was less solemn and more alive.

"Lee?"

The aforementioned turned his head in the direction of the voice, his eyes easily adjusting to the shadows.

"With that guitar, that voice and half naked body, you could easily make a fortune playing in the streets.

Lee's entire face heated up, it wasn't until now that he noticed his very much uncovered chest being exposed. Unconsciously, he brought his guitar to cover his scarred side and hid his left arm between it and his chest.

Temari chuckled, but her chest felt a pang to know that Lee was uncomfortably conscious of his scars. With another wave she opened the door and left.

The raven continued to hide himself even after Temari had left. Sighing, he shook his head amusedly and resumed his previous playing, a red head occupying every inch of his thoughts.

* * *

Gaara was going to seriously torture, strangle, and murder his sister only to revive her and continue the exciting cycle all over again while castrating his brother on the sidelines. He was having enough of their smothering and protection and if they dared to have him sedated again, they were going to find themselves in a very closed and asphyxiating compartment in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

For the past twelve hours he found himself being drowsy and numb. Mostly numb since he couldn't really feel himself being physically present in the room. The tranquilizing dosage must have been pretty strong if he felt this out of it.

"Ugh," he groaned softly. After setting his eyes on the picture on Lee's file he had completely snapped.

There, in the portrait stood a younger looking Lee caught in a headlock by an older replica of him, a man whose face he last remembered covered in blood.

He remembered the smile the man flashed him as they reached the lightened entrance, the faith the man had as they made their way into the open.

They had been just a few feet from their destination when those ghastly sounds reached his ears.

Blood splattered, shouts were screamed, and Gaara remained motionless as he saw the man whose brilliant smile rivaled the sun's luminosity, fall unceremoniously onto the rough concrete. The hand, which had clutched his own with such a gentle but firm grasp, fell limply with him.

Gaara didn't scream, he didn't panic, he just stood there watching with wide eyes as a puddle of blood formed around his feet.

He heard a last shot and then nothing. The area turned deadly silent, the lack of noise seeming to bust his eardrums.

All he saw was a red liquid forming about his bare feet, his skin feeling cool as something dried on his face. His heart palpitated, resounding like thunder in his head.

Snapping back to reality, Gaara brought a languid palm and rubbed his cheek as if the residue of the blood was still fresh on his skin.

He opened his eyes and found only darkness encompassing the room. Not even a single shadow stood out.

A hint of dizziness hit him as he sat up. _Temari is going to pay. _

He faintly recalled the events that took place after he saw the picture, after memories flooded back, attacking him while he had his guard down.

He remembered his sister screaming, shaking him, holding him. He wrenched out of her arms pushing her, shoving her until a small trickle of blood broke from the surface of her skin. His finger nails had dug deeply into her arms, penetrating the soft skin.

Then he remembered nothing, blackness, a void he still felt at the moment.

God, his head hurt. He felt as if a sledgehammer was repeatedly striking his head, each hit throbbed more than the last.

He brought his palms to his temples applying pressure that only assuaged his pain in the minimum.

Thoughts of Lee surrounded his head. He knew the boy hid something, he knew he was different by the way his eyes seemed to hide none of his emotions, belying his words, but to have Lee share a sort of link with his past had never occurred him.

Gaara did not feel sorry about Lee's calamitous grief, he felt no remorse, but what he did feel was a consistent nagging from somewhere in his body to know that Lee, in one point of his life had almost ceased to exist.

The person, whose eyes could evoke such rare emotions from him would not have been alive. Somehow, the thought didn't sit right with him.

Gaara could not let something like that happen. He didn't know why, but he would not let Lee escape from his sight, not after taking a bullet for the dark haired enigma. It wasn't that he was suicidal. That idea was as far fetched as him smiling, but it was the fact that he wouldn't be able to stare into those dark eyes and break Lee from whatever façade he put on. There was so much torment haunting the man, so much hidden rage that a part of Gaara screamed to understand how he still managed to smile.

Lee was always smiling every time Gaara subconsciously searched for him at school and it was that which unnerved the red head, that he could forget and act as if nothing was wrong with the world.

He needed to see the true person that lay behind that mask to stop all the foolish, inconsequential emotions that bickered to surface. He wasn't fond of Lee for this, but he would be damned before someone took away his right of unfolding the secrets Lee held within him.

Not caring that it was past midnight, he made another call to his most trusted acquaintance. That man was ready to serve him at any time of day.

"Baki, find Lee's residence, cancel his contract and move everything he possesses into an unoccupied room in my hall."

"_Sir, won't your father need to be consulted of this first?"_

"No. I will inform him later on. There won't be a problem."

"_Yes, sir."_

Gaara hung up the phone and remained completely still. The dizziness was still there, but it was subduing.

As he closed his eyes again, he heard the faint click of the door and furrowed his brows when the light was turned on. The familiar perfume wrinkled his nose, but he stood still nonetheless.

"Why are you still here?"

"Kitty ears was pissing me off so I snuck back in. How are you feeling?"

"Hn."

"I'll take that as an _'I'm radiating sunshine_' response." Temari smirked as a scowl formed on the stoic features.

"Are you…okay?" The blonde blinked, the question catching her by surprise. Green eyes opened and locked with bandaged arms.

"Oh, these? I'm fine really. They're just small scratches. Tsunade just over did it," she yawned the last words out.

"Go to sleep, Temari, or I will call a nurse over to kick you out." Gaara faced the window missing the glare his sister gave him.

"Fine." Temari stood from the chair and turned off the lights, walking to the couch near the window.

As soon as her head made contact with the surprisingly soft surface, her eyes shut close and mumbled an incoherent goodnight.

Gaara watched his sister's motions, narrowing his eyes at the wince the blonde unsuccessfully hid when she laid on her side and watched her as she easily fell to sleep.

Now that he wasn't drugged, sleep became a hard endeavor, not that he really wanted to succumb to it, but even his meditative trance was not coming as easily as it usually did. Thoughts concerning Lee swirled in his head.

Looking up into the darkened ceiling he let his thoughts drift off to the first encounter he had with Lee. There had been so much terror, so much agony in his eyes that Gaara couldn't help but smirk at the pitiful display.

Now he growled at the mere thought of Lee's fears, his agonies only managed to perplex the stoic man, a feeling he was becoming quite accustomed to since meeting Lee.

Without taking his eyes from the ceiling, he moved his hand speedily, only to yank out the IV on his arm.

He knew exactly what he was going to do to get the answers to his questions. The source to his solution happened to be stationed right on the same floor, who was he to wait.

Having had the heart monitor take away with much threatening and glaring at Tsunade, he worried not for the noise that would have subsequently followed. Climbing out of bed, he slowly, but as quietly as he was known to move, made his way out the door.

As soon as he stepped out, he quickly shut his eyes when the blinding lights hit his line of vision. After regaining his composure again, he trudged along the hallway, leaning his hand along the walls for the support he would deny of needing.

A few minutes of venturing through the empty hallway, he finally reached the room he had heard Tsunade whisper to his sister. Room 409.

Behind that door lay the reason for his surging perplexities and inner turmoil.

He had found out about his father's incident the night he was taken home and couldn't help the indignation that surfaced toward the victim. He knew his father hated him, but something inside him snapped when he heard that his father had chosen the importance of a stranger over his own blood. His own aversion towards his father had grown doubly so.

Now that he knew Lee had been that boy did not quell his loathing for both his father or Lee, but knowing that he had also taken something from the raven calmed him, in a sense.

Without another thought, he opened the obtrusive object and stepped inside.

Once again his vision became disoriented as he became accustomed to the opposing darkness. The dim glow of the moon outside aided his sight to adjust faster and walked on forward once he regained a clear vision.

Walking deeper in he saw a lump on the bed, bare except for the boxers hanging snugly on thin hips. Lee was sleeping on his side facing the window, the glow reflecting on the skin.

Gaara moved closer until he was at the foot of the bed watching the small rise and fall of Lee's chest. His eyes zoned in to the sleeping face, captivated by the sudden shifts under the eyelids, the occasional furrow of the impressive eyebrows.

He had never seen another person's sleeping face or rather had never really felt the need to closely examine the expressions on one's sleeping features, but watching the small movements in Lee's absolutely enthralled him.

Step by step he closed the distance between Lee and himself, looming over him and casting a disfigured shadow on the resting man's face.

There was a jittery jerk from Lee's shoulders, as if he could feel the presence of another, but calmed once again turning so he rested on his stomach, hands pillowing his head.

Gaara watched the movement which only tore his eyes away from the partially concealed face to the marred skin presented to him.

Line after line of protruding scars filled his vision drunkenly. There was practically no skin on his arm left untouched by the fissures that seemed to go on forever, leaving no clear beginning and no distinct end. His eyes followed the maze all the way to his shoulder where they continued downward and coalesced into one long, clean-cut scar, dipping under the fabric of the boxers and resurfacing once again on a high point of his left thigh, ending at his ankle.

The urge to trace those damn patterns had never been stronger and so he indulged himself with that small quest. His index finger ghosted over the arms, feeling not only the bumps and dips but the warmness radiating from the soft skin. Small goose bumps began to form on the blemished skin as he caressed every scar, encouraging him to continue his ministrations.

He began to apply more pressure to his touches as he felt the body beneath him loosening its tension from the contact.

As he reached the shoulder, his venturing dipped further onto the smooth back.

That was when he felt it.

His eyes locked with the abnormal scar, one that was not connected to the others. This one was placed far to the right side of the shoulder and unlike the others, it jut out on the skin like a burn.

His fingers continued to trail the slight abnormality, running his digits back and forth over it deducing its shape.

It began from the nape of his neck curving its shape every so often ending on the edge of the scapula.

He had an idea of what it was, but why would Lee want to brand his skin with something like that? Suddenly, he felt the body shiver to the touch and immediately flinched his hand away.

"No! Please, I'm sorry!"

The red head stood still, listening to the frantic cries of the raven.

"I-I won't do it again. I'm sor- Ah!"

Gaara stepped backwards. He didn't know what to do. He watched as the Lee curled into himself, breaths coming in broken gasps, rubbing the burn on his shoulder as he muttered continuous _I'm sorry's. _

Before he knew it, he found himself at Lee's side leaning forward, wrapping his own arms around the trembling torso. He felt awkward and tense, but he followed what Lee had done a couple of days ago when he had been stuck in his own nightmare.

There was a sudden stiffening before the body below him relaxed in his arms. The trembling stopped and the breathing became slow and deep.

He remained in the embrace for far longer than he intended, relishing the warmth seeping from Lee to him, that same warmth he longed to feel since the day he felt Lee's arms around him.

Slowly, he let go only to continue watching Lee sleep. His features had become more calm, relaxed and peaceful.

Gaara wanted answers, but he would wait until the raven was fully awake to start interrogating him. He walked over to the to the chair near the window where he would have a clear view of the man in front of him.

Once again, Lee started to squirm and tremble in his sleep. Gaara was about to move towards him when an abrupt gasp and silent scream stopped him. Lee had woken, distraught and shaking, oblivious of the visitor only a few feet away.

Gaara froze in place, taking in the shaken form of the raven. Usually anyone would have noticed the obvious shadow cast by another or felt an intruding presence, but Lee saw and felt nothing. His eyes were glazed over with tears that threatened to spill from his tear ducts, breathing harshly as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"Not again," he groaned, wiping his eyes.

Lee was about to lay back down when he finally felt a shiver down his spine. It was never good when that occurred.

"Who…Gaara?"

"Lee."

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

There was a long silence. The red head bore holes into Lee's eyes before responding.

"You hate me," not a question, but a statement.

"Wh-" Lee remained confused, his mind fuzzy with sleep before he realized what Gaara was talking about.

"No! No, of course I do not. I could never hate you."

"You're lying."

Lee's face hardened with seriousness. "No I am not. I would never lie about such a matter. Besides, I hardly know you at all to pass that sort of judgment."

"I killed your dad."

"No! You did not. It was not your fault. Not your fault at all. He was merely doing what he believed to be right. He was saving you from the goodness of his heart with consequences in mind.".

Gaara narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, cogitating his answer. "I don't believe you."

Lee groaned. And people called him stubborn. "Gaara," he stood from the bed and approached the stubborn mule. He reached his hand out as if wanting to cup Gaara's cheek but retracted at the last minute. "…I swear to you that I am not, cross my heart and hope to die."

Gaara saw as the hand made its way towards his face and was anticipating the warm touch, but when the hand pulled away he glared daggers. He listened as Lee spoke, and as soon as the word _die _left Lee's lips, his face hardened and the aura around him radiated murder.

"Don't you fucking say the word _die _again. You. Will. Not. Die. I will make sure of it."

Lee's eye grew like saucers. He made Gaara mad _again!_…Wait. Pause. Rewind. Stop. Play. '_I will make sure of it.'_

_What did that mean, and did he just sound protective?_

"What are you saying, Gaara? Of course I am not going to. Well not any time soon anyways."

"I won't let you."

Lee had the itch to touch Gaara's arm and assure him that he wasn't going away anytime soon, but he held back the urge. He knew it would discomfort him. Instead, he offered him a smile, one of his most subdued.

"Okay, Gaara. Thank you."

The red head could feel Lee's wanting to have some sort of contact with him. He saw the fingers twitching before he put both hands behind his back.

"You should go back, Gaara. You still need to recover to regain that youth-"

"Touch me."

"…ful vi…gor….What!"

Impatiently, Gaara repeated his request and caught Lee's wrist in his hand to emphasize his point. "Touch me."

He placed Lee's palm on his cheek, savoring the unknown feeling it evoked in him, causing his eyes to flutter shut.

Lee stood still, afraid that if he moved on his own account, he might cause Gaara to anger again.

"Don't stiffen your hand."

"But, G-Gaara, I thought you said you did not like people touching you."

"I don't."

"Then why…." he let his words trail off as he looked at the almost peaceful face he had ever seen Gaara show.

Without realizing what his body was doing, his other hand reached up to touch the other cheek, rubbing small circles on the milky skin.

His thumb stroked the cheek, marveling at the softness of the skin. Never before had he felt such smoothness, his own being calloused, scarred and rough from the years.

"H-hey you need to go back and rest," he made a move to remove his hands, but Gaara caught his other wrist and gripped them both tightly.

"You're warm," the younger man murmured quietly as he opened his eyes and locked his gaze with Lee's. They drifted downwards to his left arm and narrowed his eyes to slits.

The scrutiny Lee was in was making him uncomfortable, and it wasn't until he followed the red head's gaze that he noticed something rather…bare.

What was it with the Sabaku siblings catching him half naked!

With a high, undignified yelp, he wrenched his hands from Gaara's grasp and dived for the sheet, wrapping it around his body like a toga.

"Umm, Gaara? Could you turn around while I put something decent?"

God, he could feel the rise of heat to his face just rushing on full force.

Instead of complying, the red head fisted his hands and would have snarled lowly. "You pulled away. You're afraid of me."

"Nononono! Do not misunderstand, please. It is just that…I am indecent at the moment!" Oh, how he wanted to hide his face inside the sheet as well!

Gaara looked down at the covered body vaguely remember Lee's former state of undress. His index and thumb rubbed unconsciously as he remembered trailing his digits across warm, bare skin.

"You're embarrassed."

Lee nodded slowly, averting his eyes from the green eyes that wandered around his body.

"Why? You don't have something that I don't have," he deadpanned. "Is it the scars?"

Lee's eye twitched at the mention of them, and Gaara took notice.

The raven chuckled nervously. "It's just a matter of respectfulness I've had since I was a child. It is very rude to be indecently dressed in the presence of another you know."

"Unless you're having sex."

Lee resisted the urge to slap his palm across his face. Somehow, even with the few interactions he had with the red head, he had expected that answer. The guy was just too blunt for his own good.

"Yes, well…that's something else." _Hmm, look at that streak on the window it looks like the back of Sasuke's head. Interesting._

"Lee."

_Look at that spot on the moon. It looks like a squirrel!_

Gaara was loosing his patience. Lee would not look at him at all and it was driving him mad.

"Could you please just turn around?" Lee pleaded softly.

The red head took his sweet time determining why it was that the male before him was so embarrassed. Kankuro and him were pretty open when it came to exhibiting themselves since Temari found it necessary to spend some time together at the sauna, so he knew no shame when it came to terms with his body.

Lee on the other hand was not even in the complete nude, yet he was making a big deal out of something that seemed so mundane to Gaara.

Lee was really going to die from the abnormal flow of his blood. He just knew it and Gaara was not helping the situation with those penetrating eyes of his. He almost gave a sigh of relief when Gaara finally turned around, but oh boy, did he regret it.

Gaara had turned, but what Lee saw brought a new fleeting rush of blood from his neck up.

This was why he hated hospital gowns, they never seemed to cover you fully, but it was not the fact that the garment was opened. There, in front of him, stood a man with pale, velvety skin going commando underneath the flaunty attire.

With the small will of decency he managed to control, he picked up the jeans and shirt next to his bed and threw them on hastily before picking up his bed sheet and throwing it over the red head's shoulder.

Gaara glanced sideways when the fabric was placed and threw a questioning look at Lee.

"Why are you covering me?"

"You walked through these hallways without feeling a certain…breeze on your errr…bottom?"

A slight pensive look crossed the shameless man's features before he shook his head. "I should have?"

An amused chuckle ran through Lee as he nodded. "These gowns tend to be a bit…revealing. Especially when you forget that you are wearing nothing underneath them."

Confusion ran through Gaara, but it left his face completely when a hand was gently placed on his shoulder. His eyes widened a bit before relaxing, but he never lifted his gaze off of the arm.

Although he was still new to human contact he did not pull away. He liked the warmth, especially since it came from Lee. He didn't know why, but didn't question it for the moment.

"Come on, let us get you back to your room before the nurses start a search party. It does not get pretty when they do," he laughed softly as he steered Gaara to the direction of his room.

The journey back was made in silence, both males not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. Lee was fairly familiar with the hospital rules and it would be to their best interest to try and adhere to them, especially is Tsunade was in charge. Lee did not blame Jiraiya for fearing his sister, even if he adamantly denied that he was not.

Silently, they reached Gaara's door and walked in past the vestibule. Neither man bothered to turn on the light, seemingly adjusting to the darkness as they made their way to the bed.

Gaara slowly sat on the bed, hating the uncomfortable feeling on his side, but made no noise to signify it.

A few feet away Lee stood unsure of what to do. He did not want to invade Gaara's personal space and risk the him getting mad again. Gaara was an indisputable puzzle, unpredictable and unknowingly brash, catching Lee on his toes every time.

As he was about to signal his goodbye, a snort caught his attention.

"Damn you pineapple head. Don't tell me to shut up. Just kiss me." The words came out slightly slurred from the slumber.

_Pineapple head? _Somehow, he just knew of who that was implying. A small, stifled cough escaped his lips, as he struggled not to laugh.

"Do not let your sister be caught, Gaara. The hospital is pretty strict with the rules they enforce. I will see you later," he whispered, which became a feat in itself as he was not know for his reticent nature.

Before Gaara had the chance to say something back, Lee was gone.

Lee did not hate him. Something about those words lifted an unknown weight of his shoulders.

He sat contemplating the conversation he just had with the strange male. The way his words held such conviction as Lee told him he could not be blamed, something that he had been told otherwise throughout his life. The way his eyes lit up with a variety of emotions that he couldn't comprehend.

Though the pain reflected on them was the same as his own, they both turned out quite different and Gaara wanted…no _needed _to know how Lee coped with it without managing to lose his smile.

Lee intrigued him and as he clutched the raven's forgotten bed sheet, sleep crawled its way into his eyelids with one thought swimming through his mind.

Hating the scars, why would Lee want to taint his own body with a cicatrizing snake on his back?

* * *

The halls were pretty much empty except for two boys who were apparently disobeying hospital rules and their spectator.

The corner of his lip tuned up as he waited for the ringing to stop.

"Sir, I believe I found something that used to belong to you."

"_Oh?"_

"And surprisingly, he's a friend of the Sabaku."

"_Interesting. And who is this past child?"_

"Rock Lee."

"_Excellent. Would you do me a favor and kindly pass my sweet child a message?"_

The man smirked as he listened to his boss. "Will do, Sir."

* * *

Lee awoke on time to leave the sterile building. With his guitar in hand, he made his way down the hall stopping for a moment in front of Gaara's room. With a smile and a slight blush as he recalled last night's events, he stepped through only to find an empty bed that was currently being made by one of the nurses.

_Did I get the wrong room?_

"Excuse me, was this not Sabaku Gaara's room?"

The nurse looked up startled, but composed a smile. "It was but with an insistent patient, a threatening sister and a pissed off Tsunade, he managed to be discharged earlier than expected to remain bedridden in the comfort of his own home."

Lee laughed lowly, "Oh, okay. Thank you."

"No problem."

Lost in his own thoughts, Lee almost crashed into another as he stepped out of the room.

"Oh! Excus-Neji! What are you doing here?"

Said man smirked as he bopped Lee's head. "Dumbass, I'm giving you a ride home."

Lee pouted as he rubbed his head. "That was not nice, Neji."

"Come on. Let's just get you out of here."

A bright smile lit up Lee's face, "Okay, thank you, Neji."

The ride back home was quiet, but comfortable. Neji kept sneaking glances at his friend, wanting to make sure he was alright. As he parked in front of the building he took one look at it and turned to Lee.

"You need to move."

"You sound just like Naruto now!" Lee exclaimed as he opened the door.

"For once the idiot is right," he smirked.

Lee propped his forearms on the window, "I am fine here. Thank you for the ride. Drive carefully!"

"Hn. I'll see you later."

Lee started his way up the stairs, digging in his pocket for his keys. As he pulled his hand out, a folded envelope slipped out.

_Hmm…what is this?_

Inserting the key to his doorknob, he ripped the shortest side of the envelope with his teeth and pulled out the paper.

After unlocking his door, he opened it, but remained outside in the hall.

As he read the note, his eyes widened, his hands began to tremble and his knees buckled, sending him straight to the floor with a loud thump.

_Hello my sweet child, it has been a long time since I last saw you. I hope you still remember what you did to me, my sweet. I know I have not forgotten and I anticipate our next encounter. Do not try anything Lee or you will regret it. Remember my mark is on you. You didn't think you could run away and just forget did you? I know you know who this is. Take care, my love. I will see you soon._

"No…no…no..nononono. This can't be happening."

Tears ran down his cheeks as he reread the letter over and over again.

_Why is he back? _

He sat there, trembling as he crumpled the paper in his hand that he did not notice the man making his way to him.

"Sir?"

Lee froze as he heard the unrecognizable voice. Slowly, he turned in the direction of the voice and met a man with two markings on his face.

Lee shook his head erratically and crawled back. "No. No! You will not take me! I will not let you!"

Springing to his feet, Lee ran the opposite direction of the man to the other set of staircases. Sensing footsteps behind him, he pushed his legs to run faster, not stopping for anything.

Baki continued to trail him, but he knew there was something wrong with the way the kid was acting the first time he saw him. Distance was gained and he lost the boy. He stopped to catch his breath as he looked on to the direction the kid had gone. Sir Gaara was not going to be happy about this.


	8. The Move

**Disclaimer**: The only ownership I have is to Lee's guitar :3

Everything is obviously not mine. XP

* * *

Lee continued to run way beyond his habitual capabilities. His lungs screamed in agonizing protest. His legs felt like complete jelly, ready to give out on him at any given second. Yet, he paid no mind to those bodily pains. He just needed to run; get as far away as possible from that man—who unbeknownst to Lee—had stopped coming after him long ago.

He couldn't remember telling his body to move anywhere specific, but somehow, he eventually ended up crouched low and gasping for air in front of Iruka's door. Raising his arm, he was a second away from pounding the door when reason caught up with him.

_I cannot let Iruka worry. I cannot let them know. _

His inner distress caught up with him as he slowly slid to the floor. He would not jeopardize their lives. This was his own problem. Being a burden was something he would not stand for himself.

Gathering control of his breathing, he forced himself to calm his beating heart and trembling body as he stood up straight and gently knocked on the door. A minute and no response later, he knocked again a bit harder.

Nothing.

A quick mental check reminded him of the date. The weekend had already flown by, meaning he had missed work. Iruka was going to strangle him.

His working clothes were in his home, but he could not go back. Not yet. But if he didn't he would miss work, disappoint Iruka, let Naruto down and cut down his paycheck. The brunet might be his guardian, but that did not mean he was lenient when it came down to business. He was a fair man.

_Maybe Naruto has something I can borrow_. He had a key to the house—by the insistence of Iruka—as it was his home away from home.

Digging into his pockets, he searched for his keys. When he heard no jingle from either one, he frowned. Where were his keys? Searching again to make sure he had mot missed them, he let an exasperated sound emit from his throat.

_Where did I leave them?_ Wracking his brain, he tried to remember the last time he had them.

_Dammit! _Internally cursing, he ran a hand through his hair and turned back. He had no choice. If he did not want his apartment to be left stripped of even his wallpaper, he would need to hurry back and retrieve them from his door.

With a last solicitous look around him, he walked in a stiffly languid pace wanting to get back soon, but not quickly enough, afraid of what could be waiting for him.

Through the walk, he was lost to the world in his thoughts. How did he find him? There was a very small part in him that begged the note to be a sick joke. A very cruel, cynical and sickening ruse. But he knew better. There was no way anybody would be as malicious to do something like that. Not even Deidara. He may be ruthless and sadistic, but he knew where to draw the line. Besides, last he knew, he was still partly out of it.

It had been years since those dark days of his childhood—if you could even call it that. There was no way he could forget them, but he made sure to stick those memories to the recesses of his mind where he could pretend they never existed.

Orochimaru. The name brought a sickening bile to his throat. He knew that someday the past would come back to haunt him. Not only had he rebelled continuously to the point his body would burn with just the mere recollection, but he betrayed the man. A desperate recourse that only those few who were willing to risk it all for a sliver of freedom would take.

But why, after ten years would he come back? Why didn't he do it sooner? Lee knew he had the resources to search for him and put forth his revenge.

Pondering the idea, he reached his apartment building, much to his apprehension, and quickly dashed his way up the stairs. Reaching for his door, he sighed in relief when he saw it was closed and his keys were laying on the floor partly concealed from view by his plants adorning the outside of his door.

Picking them up, he unlocked and pushed open the wooden contraption. He stepped inside the pitch black room, throwing his keys blindly, though he knew accurately, into the highboy near the entrance. When the sound of metal echoed hollowly, he stopped mid-step.

He never missed and even if he did the sound would have never resonated as loudly as that moment. Searching quickly for the switch, he flicked the lights on.

The apartment was bare. Every single inch of his home was left with nothing but the green walls. Every picture, every single piece of furniture down to every speck of dust was gone.

Disbelieving and disconcerting, he bolted for his music room. Even while living alone he kept it locked, but as he neared the door he found it slightly ajar.

_No! _Lee pounded the wooden frame ignoring the jolting pain of his abused knuckles. The anger he suppressed beneath layers of cultivated practice was quickly dissipating his cool.

_Orochimaru!_ Now, Lee was not someone to incriminate another without substantial evidence, but the warning in his note left him at the very top of prospective suspects. He was not even gone for more that two hours! How was it possible for everything to be cleared out from his home in such little time? Sure, he didn't own much but it still it should not have been such an easy move!

Dammit! He didn't know what to do. Calling the police would be a good idea, but he didn't have a cell phone. Maybe this was a sign urging him to invest in one.

_Okay, Lee. Calm down. You will overcome this. Maybe the neighbor would be kind enough to lend you her phone._ He kept repeating the phrases, assuring himself that all was not yet lost.

Turning back down the hall, he was set on knocking next door. As he exited his apartment, he did not expect to be pushed back by a sudden wall that had definitely not been there a moment ago.

"Oomph! Oh, please pardon me!"

Before Lee could even look at the other, he was suddenly grabbed and thrown into sturdy, able shoulders. Lee's first instinct at the abrupt hoist was to punch the first thing he came into contact with, but the broad back didn't seem to be very much affected.

"Let. Me. Down! Who do you think you are?"

The man was not fazed by the kid hanging off of his shoulders as he continued to trot the stairs to his car, ignoring the bruising kicks and punches.

"I do not wish to fight you, but if you do not put me down this instant I will be forced to…" His thoughts trailed as his eyes widened. This man…he was here earlier…the note…Orochimaru…."No!"

With a new found vigor, he kicked and punched and flailed to his full potential, his position no longer hindering his strength. Being one to never ask for any help when he most needed it, he rejected the thought of screaming out—not that it would be of any use since there was nobody in sight.

Baki, on his end just groaned at the kid's struggles. He was getting too old to be stuck kidnapping just for a spontaneous whim from his boss' son. Sure, he cared for the young heir and would even stand in the line of fire for him, but this was just too much. Whatever the kid did to gain Gaara's attention, he better be well prepared to cope with him.

When he reached the backseat of his car, he opened the door and unceremoniously threw the cumbersome raven inside. There was a loud thump for which Baki haughtily grunted in approval. Payback for all those hits that he was sure would bruise.

Locking the backseat doors with a small control, he sauntered over to the driver's seat, started the engine and pulled the screen window separating the front from the back. The guy was loud. He did not need any distractions while he was on the road. There were already enough undeserving, licensed idiots out on the streets to risk his life.

Lee winced as his head hit something wooden. Rubbing the abused area, he hastily threw himself at the door pulling the handle. It would not budge. Clumsily, he scooted over to the other door only to encounter the same problem. The damn locks were child proof! That did not stop him though, from continuously pounding on the windows until his knuckles bled or kicking the doors to the point of losing feeling in his legs.

Minutes dragged on by until every pent up emotion from, not only what the situation at hand was inflicting, but everything in the past weekend that weighed on his heart. He knew he wasn't getting out of this. He knew the moment he snatched that knife from Kimimaro when nobody was looking.

Orochimaru was a wanted man. His infamous reputation made him to be sought out by both the law and the black market. His business interconnected with so many others, it was hard not to see the supremacy he held over every delinquent involved in the market. From brothels to drugs and human trafficking among others, there was no doubt he was an unscrupulous man.

Unfortunately, he had a keen ability to rid his trace off of every illegal business transaction. It was damn near impossible to hold any concrete evidence against him.

Lee's then eight year old mind did not comprehend the extremity of the situation he was in, but he did understand that the man was doing something bad and he was not being properly punished, as he knew from the days at the orphanage where he learned right from wrong. If you did something bad, you were punished. And that is exactly what prompted him to commit what he did.

He shuddered every time he thought about it. Bringing his knees up close to his chest, he hugged himself as the vivid picture flashed in his mind. For two years he endured being taken in by strange men. In hindsight, he did not know why he tolerated being sent from one person to the other in order to fulfill their heinous and pedophilic pleasures.

Maybe it was that love that he was shown by Orochimaru in the beginning. Something he had been yearning for like every kid, reaching out to be cared for. That parental warmth. And it was given to him, only to realize later on the road that it was all fake. Those tender smiles, the soft pats to the back, the endearing ruffling of the hair had all been used as a ruse in order to reel him and others in to the point where one would do anything to continue receiving those affections rather than lose that connection. Orochimaru picked his victims well. He loathed that he was easily added to that list.

But the flood gates to his anger began to grow weak. He couldn't run away just on mere impulse again. That had proven to have painful consequences as the scar on his back kept constantly reminding him. And so on one of those "special" nights in which he was sent in to Orochimaru's room, he just cracked.

Underneath his shirt, he hid one of Kimimaro's newly sharpened knives. He was one of the few who was undoubtedly loyal to the snake obsessed bastard, so while he was away on his own duty, he sneaked into his room and borrowed the object. What happened after that, he did could not remember with clarity.

Hitherto, he could not recall the series of events of that night. There was an abundance of blood. His shirt, his hands, his face were all covered with the red substance, but from who, he wasn't sure. He could only remember running.

Chaos followed immediately. He knew men were sent to search for him, a wanted renegade, but he tried his damn best to remain incognito, staying in sullied alleys all day and only coming out during the night for food.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months before he took the chance to step out into the broad daylight for the first time. There was still that risk of being caught despite the extended time, but he had finally reached a point of frustration from hiding for so long. It was by some miracle that he happened to run into a blond boy that would become his best friend, his savior and confidant.

Now ten years later he was starting to relive his nightmares. Not even Naruto knew the real reason behind the panic he gets when being stared at. It all began with that snake bastard. The fear of being caught, of being seen and recognized by some lackey from the past sent horror-stricken sweat straight down his spine.

Lee paid no mind while in his pensive state and thus was completely oblivious to the familiar surroundings he was starting to come into view with. Not even when the car stop did he snap out of his thoughts.

"Mr. Lee, we are here."

Jumping slightly, the young man nodded his head and slowly made his way out of the vehicle. Baki, for a second went back into the back seat to retrieve the guitar that was plainly left unnoticed by its owner.

Just a few yards away from them, Kiba halted his task and sent a dumbfounded look to Iruka who was a few feet away from him.

"I didn't know Lee was in such close familiarity with the Sabaku family."

Iruka kept his gaze on the retreating back of the raven as he answered Kiba. "He's not."

"Then why-" Kiba was cut short when Iruka raised his hand and signaled him to keep working. "I will tell you later," was all he said before going back to work.

Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, Kiba turned his eyes one more time to Lee, who was on his way to entering the mansion, glanced back to Iruka and dropped the subject. By the distressed countenance that had come upon the brunet's face, he had a feeling something serious had occurred and it was better to keep out lest his brashness made it worse.

As Lee made his way up to the front door, his head hung in dread. Not once did he look up, only staring at Baki's feet to guide him along. The thought of being back to the place he ran away from brought back all the conditioning ingrained in his mind to resurface.

Baki took notice to the lack of resistance in the child and couldn't help but be a bit concerned. Sure, the drastic measure he took in order to bring the kid to the house was a risky one, but usually in cases of kidnapping—not that he considered what he did to be kidnap—the victim does not give up the primal urge to run away when they are clearly not being physically restrained by anything. There was something bothering the guy, but Baki was not going to let his concern get the better of him. This was a job and he completed it successfully.

When his captor was seconds away from opening the front door, Lee fidgeted and risked looking up, contemplating the idea of running off while Baki messed with the security system, but as soon as the door was pulled open Lee's chances of running away were crushed as he was pulled with enough force to pop his arm socket into the arms of a woman.

"Thank you Baki for bringing him. The brat won't stop glaring at everything in his path with each second he's late."

Lee's sense of alert skyrocketed when he was pulled, breaking him from that gloomy trance from a few seconds ago. As soon as he placed the female voice with the face, he was utterly flabbergasted.

"Ms. Temari? What is going on?" He asked as he was dragged by the arm none to gently.

"My stupid brother and his impulses, that's what happened," she answered annoyed as they made their way through a long stretch of corridor. Lee for the first time took in his surroundings watching the indoor scenery with utmost reverence and awe. The walls were of a beautiful mahogany color decorated with art that was no doubt invaluable dating back to the Renaissance and Baroque period. The wood flooring gleamed in its immaculately cleaned state. But despite its grandeur and glamor, there was just something missing from the atmosphere. Something he could not quite pinpoint at the moment.

"But what am I doing here? Why was I forcibly taken from my apartment by a man I do not know?"

"Baki forcibly took you?" She smirked as she glanced back at the man tailing her. "I'd Like to hear that story sometime in the future. You will know once we get there." The blonde continued trekking the long hallway in silence dismissing every question from Lee with a harsher tug to his arm.

The long journey inside the house finally came to an end when they reached the last door on the hallway. Temari simply pushed the door and practically threw Lee inside of it.

To say he was stunned, and slightly hurting was an extreme understatement. After his feet finally managed to gain their balance, Lee's jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

"Wha—how—WHY are all of my belongings here? I thought I had been robbed!" Looking around the room he encountered every piece of furniture from his house neatly placed in the enormous room. His beloved records sat on a high shelf mounted onto the wall. His pictures were put neatly on a table where an entertainment system, something that most certainly did not belong to him, stood.

Lee kept turning around in circles taking in the view that he did not noticed the entry of the one responsible for the change of residency.

"Do you like it?" Unaware of who was asking him, Lee simply nodded. He was at a loss for words at the moment.

Turquoise eyes followed every movement made by the tall teen, discerning why it was that Lee made him commit such spontaneous acts. If it had been anybody else other than Lee on the day he was shot, he would have already made their life a living hell for being the cause of inflicting him with such a wound. But he knew that he wouldn't have bothered to step in if it had been anybody else. _So why Lee? _

Temari, exasperated by her brother's decision of having Lee move in decided it was time for a drink. There was no way she was confronting her father about the matter, so as long as she was wasted Gaara would not use her.

Gaara heard the retreating steps of his sister but never once did his vision move from the center of his attention. With his eyes firmly set on the confounded expression in the chocolate creamy face, he nodded to himself. "Good. You will stay here from now on."

Lee finally turned, his eyes wider than it should be possible. "WHAT?"

Annoyed at having to repeat himself, he rephrased. "You will start living here from now on."

"But Gaara, I do not understand why," he questioned. This was absurd. Gaara and him had not known each other for such a great span of time _and_ their meeting was not begun on the right track whatsoever. So what would induce such an act? Because of Lee Gaara had been shot. Usually, that is not the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

"Because I say so."

The red head's voice held such an imperious tone that Lee found it hard to rebut it, but he could not let it end without his say in it.

"What if I don't want to? You cannot force something upon another person without consulting them first."

With a glare, Gaara rolled his wheelchair closer to Lee until he was no more than a foot away. Despite the height differences, Gaara's threatening aura did not dissipate. If anything it made him all the more frightening.

Looking up to Lee's challenging face he responded vehemently, "You will stay here. And that's final. I will tie you up if you try anything. So don't."

Lee glowered, his eyes forming slits. "I am sorry. I appreciate the thought, but I would rather live in my humble apartment so I would appreciate it if you would please send my stuff back."

"No."

"Yes!"

"I said no."

"Fine. I can take all this back by myself." Lee began to pick up a couple of his stuff, placing them on a box that sat at the foot of the bed. Before he had the chance of picking up the box, his arms were grabbed and placed behind his back. A cool sensation passed through his wrists and it wasn't until a locking sound resonated that he found the sensation to be the coolness of handcuffs.

"What are you doing!" Lee screamed, fighting off whoever it was holding him. His attempts were futile as the quickness of the man's ability to tie somebody surpassed his ability to struggle any further. After his feet were tied together he was thrown onto the bed. The man named Baki stood at the foot of the bed looking slightly ashamed of what he had done.

Lee was surprised to find him in the room as he did not notice him come into the room at all.

"I'm sorry Mr. Lee, but it's the master's order."

Lee shifted his gaze from Baki into the impenetrable gaze of emerald green.

"Why are you doing this?" It was slightly unnerving that Gaara did not seem to blink as he regarded Lee, but he did not let the staring match break.

"Because I can."

Lee was put off by this answer, growling in response, but the next statement rendered him speechless.

"And because...," it was here that the red head's eyes finally shifted uncomfortably.

"I want you to touch me again."


	9. The Friendship

**Disclaimer: **Masashi Kishimoto would probably not approve of this.

* * *

"_I want you to touch me again."_

Lee remained frozen on the spot, his upper body bending uncomfortably as his eyes remained glued on Gaara. His world stopped completely as he replayed those seven words in his head.

"_I want you to touch me again." He wants me to touch him again? _

"_I want you to touch me again." What—what does that mean?_

"_I want you to touch me again." _ _Wh—is that a blush on his cheeks? _

"_I want you to touch me again." _He pinched the available skin on his back where his shirt was bunching up and winced slightly as his nerves confirmed that it wasn't a dream, a hallucination or a delusion he was spooked into from earlier.

For Gaara, time appeared to last an eternity as minutes ticked on by with no response from Lee. He still couldn't understand what prompted him to even say those words, but he needed an excuse to keep him in the house. Of course, he didn't know if this tactic was going to work. He could always keep true to his word and have Lee chained to the room until he could figure him out.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the flabbergasted male sputtered a response.

"C-can you repeat that?"

The angry furrow appeared once again as Gaara turned to regard Lee. His hands curled and uncurled over the wheelchair's armrests as the awkward mood from a few minutes ago was broken.

"Are you fucking deaf?"

Lee raised his eyebrows at the crude language, but answered defiantly. There was no need to be rude, even considering Gaara's nature.

"No, I believe to be imagining things, so could you please repeat that again? I do not think I heard right."

Gaara was becoming livid and it wasn't even Lee's fault. He was mad at himself for asking something that made him look vulnerable, pathetic.

Without answering he merely cocking his head to the side and gave Lee one last look before turning around and making his way to the door.

"I hate repeating myself. You are not leaving. If I have to keep you chained to the bed in order for you to stay I will, but you will remain here until I say so otherwise. If you want your colleagues out in the yard to keep their job, you will not try to escape or ask for help from anybody here."

With no further ado he left the room, leaving a perplexed and cuffed Lee inside.

As soon as the door shut, Lee rolled and wiggled his way into a standing position and ran to the door, turning the door lever with his knee. After pulling it down, he expected the door to open, but he should have known better than that. Gaara had locked it.

"Gaara!" He screamed, "Let me out! Gaaraaaaa!" He contemplated kicking the door, but his guest etiquette prevented him from vandalizing. It was such a nice door. There was no need to abuse it.

His shouts were futile as every inch of the mansion was covered with soundproof walls; though he didn't know that.

He gave up his effort pretty quickly. Over the past couple of days he had come to understand Gaara's mind just a little bit. He liked getting his way and would use force if necessary, as it was blatantly obvious if the handcuffs and locked door were of any indication.

Thumping his head softly a couple of times on the wooden door, he made his way back to the ridiculously comfortable bed. Lying down on his back with his arms just below his buttocks, he raised his legs straight up and began to slide his restrained arms up his thighs. Baki could have at least cuffed his wrists in front of his body, not the back. That was too uncomfortable.

It was a good thing he was flexible and able to reach past his toes, now at least he would be able to move more comfortably without a numbness waiting to happen.

With his hands lying close to his groin, he scooted up until his head met the pillow. There was just too much in one day to take in. First Orochimaru, now Gaara. In the deepest part of his mind he couldn't shake off the feeling of resemblance. This was just like incarceration. Once again, he was being shackled, quite literally, and bound to a place that seems too good to be true.

Gaara didn't appear to be a bad person, though, but neither had that snake.

Oh, god. What was he doing? Gaara wasn't like Orochimaru. Yes, he was a bit eccentric, but who wouldn't be after what he'd been through as a child? But still, that didn't give the red head the right to keep him locked up like a prisoner. Plus he didn't want to inconvenience anybody by staying.

Lee closed his eyes and groaned as he turned to his side. Why did thing have to get this complicated after so many years of living in relative peace? If Orochimaru knew where he was, then he was putting everybody he interacted with in danger. He couldn't stay here. Who knew who was out there keeping him on constant surveillance?

For about an hour he remained on the bed with all these thoughts clouding his head, making him oblivious to his surroundings. Temari had snuck her way back into his new room without him noticing and it wasn't until her hand firmly touched his shoulder that he responded.

Temari wasn't prepared for what happened next. One minute she had her hand on Lee, the next she was on her back lying on the floor.

Lee was far too out of it to notice on time that his reaction was completely unnecessary, but after years of having to watch out for his wellbeing, he had conditioned himself to act in a brusque manner and that meant flinging the person away from him. Handcuffs be damned; they did not prevent him from protecting himself. Unfortunately for Temari, she did not have this little helpful knowledge that would have saved her from a back pain.

"Fuck! Kid, what is wrong with you?"

Lee gasped stood up as quickly as he could once he realized what he had done.

"Oh! Ms. Temari, I am so sorry! Please forgive me! I did not mean to do that to you of all people! Please accept my most sincere apologies!" By this point Lee had managed to get down on his knees, his hands clasped together in front of him begging for forgiveness.

Rubbing her abused back bone, she swatted Lee on the head as she stood up. "It's okay, Lee. Don't worry about it. I was also at fault for sneaking up on you like that, but how the hell were you even able to fling me like that with your arms restrained?"

Lee just continued his apologetic gesture of being on his knees before Temari rolled her eyes and helped him stand back up, sitting him on the edge of the bed. "Anyways, I just came to take these off."

From her pocket, she extracted a small key and immediately unlocked the hand cuffs. "There. I'm sorry for what my brother is putting you through," she looked up at him and smiled apologetically.

Lee grinned back, immediately accepting her apology as he meekly rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment for his actions.

"Can I be honest with you though?" She asked as she played with the cuffs in her hand.

"You can ask me anything Ms. Temari."

"Lee, I've told you to stop calling me Ms. I will smack you into the next tomorrow the next time you do."

The boy chuckled as he nodded.

"Look, I know this might seem like a foolish and selfish thing what my brother is doing, but as I see it, in the most strange and twisted scenario, I think he sees you as a friend, if not, somebody whom he feels largely responsible for after he found out who your dad was."

Lee fiddled with the hem of his shirt, "But I told him it was not his fault. He should not be feeling sorry me."

"It's not that he pities you. Believe me. If he did, he wouldn't be our brother and you most certainly wouldn't be sitting where you are right now. It's just…ugh I just can't put it into words."

The boy looked at her with skepticism in his black eyes. This was how he treated a friend?

"Yeah. I know. I'm telling you he's deranged when it comes to socializing. Example A," she jiggled the handcuffs in front of his eyes. "Example B," she waved her hand in a circular motion around the room, Lee's eyes following its path.

With a sorrowful look, she looked into his eyes. "He doesn't have any friends, Lee. Well, there's Naruto, to some extent, but he's never shown any interest in forging a friendship until you came along."

Lee softly gasped at that.

"But I would not want to impose and be an inconvenience to anybody. I really do like my apartment."

The blond sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. Placing her chin in the palm of her hand, she looked at Lee pensively. "He told me you make him feel warm. When you hugged him after the nightmare, he said he'd never felt so safe so…relieved as if the nightmare hadn't occurred. We rarely show any gestures of affection, but when we do he's never felt accepted and that's how he felt in your arms."

"I only did it out of instinct. Naruto used to have nightmares a lot, but every time I held him he said they went away. I figured it might work for him too."

"Apparently it does. Look, Lee, I'm not forcing you to stay, since my brother seems to be doing a fine job at restraining you, but I would appreciate it if you'd consider the offer. You seem to have something that Kankuro and I are lacking."

"But, what about your father?"

"Don't worry. He's already been taken care of."

"Really?"

"Yes. Gaara will do anything and everything to get his way. He already got father's consent and besides, he's not here half of the time so it shouldn't bother him in the least."

Lee rubbed his hands together, his thoughts running a thousand miles per minute. He didn't want to do this, but he couldn't reject after hearing that somebody really wanted to be his friend. He could never deny anybody that request and if Gaara wanted to be friends, then a friend he would have. He would just have to stay on the down low out in the streets if Orochimaru was indeed having him watched. The less he made himself known, the less danger he put the family and his friends in. Besides, he didn't want to run away from everything he had come to known just because of a stupid letter. For all he knew, maybe Deidara had become more malicious than before and was the one behind it. The grudge he had against Lee had finally eaten away his entire humanity.

He inhaled deeply before exhaling and looking at Temari. He nodded shakily before voicing out his answer. "Okay," he sighed. "Okay, I'll stay."

Temari's eyes glowed with mirth and gave Lee a warm smile. "Thank you, Lee. This really means a lot."

"You are welcome, Temari. Gaara must really love you if he confides his thoughts to you." He looked at her and cocked his head in confusion when her lips took a downward turn. She looked torn. "Does he not?"

She looked at her hands tracing the lines on her palms as she realized the sad truth and only when she felt a calloused pad of a finger wiping at her cheek did she notice she was crying.

"He doesn't. This is actually the first time he's ever told me what he's feeling and has asked me for advice." She rubbed at her eyes and looked at Lee. "Thank you. It's because of you that he finally opened up a bit to me." There was genuine gratitude in her eyes. There was no mistaking it and Lee did the only thing he felt right. He hugged her.

Temari gasped in surprise, but laughed at the sudden embrace. "I have a feeling this will be an event of frequent appearance," she chuckled in his hair, the soft wisp of air fanning the strands of black hair before her.

Lee let go and grinned. "Yosh! Hugs are the remedy when things feel as if nothing matters anymore. They assure you that you are not alone. Plus if you are like your brother, they might make you feel warm," he grinned.

The blonde rolled her eyes and stood up. "Come on. I actually came to get you. It's time for brunch."

She laughed at the twisted confusion on the younger man's face.

"You don't know what that is, do you?" She sighed when he shook his head. "How sheltered were you, kid? It's a meal between breakfast and lunch. Since we already ate breakfast and we don't eat lunch until two, the meal we're eating now is called brunch."

"Ah. Okay. But will Gaara not be mad that I left the room?"

Grabbing Lee's hand, she led them out the door and to the seemingly endless hallway. "He's the one who told me to get you," she winked at him and turned her attention ahead of her.

Lee followed hesitantly. These past three days all he managed to do was upset Gaara, but despite that he was taking him into his home asking for nothing but his friendship—according to his sister—in return.

He would need to be careful on how he approached Gaara from now on. Being around him was like walking on eggshells, but he had the confidence to get through him. He smiled faintly. He would be making a new friend.

Before he knew it, they arrived to the back patio where a rather small, round table held a tray of stacked ham and cheddar cheese sandwiches and a pitcher of lemon juice.

Gaara's eyes instantly landed on Lee and he motioned for him to sit right next to him. Kankuro was already digging in quite sloppily to the food before Temari smacked the back of his head on her way to her chair.

"You pig, don't you have any manners?"

With a stuffed face he turned to his sister and spat out a big fat _no_ before turning to Lee, nodding and going back to his meal.

Lee laughed before his attention was gained as Gaara filled his plate with sandwiches. "Eat," he ordered as he continued to pile more of them on the dark haired man's plate.

"Gaara! Thank you! That is enough for now and yes, thank you. I shall enjoy them very much," he smiled at him.

As Lee bit down into his food, Kankuro cleared his throat and directed his attention to Lee. "So, I hear you're going to be living with us now."

The new resident nodded slowly and without turning his face he glanced at his red head companion.

The eldest brother scowled. "So if he's staying, why the fuck are you being such a prissy prima donna? Lighten up man. Your friend is going to stay."

At the mention of that word, Gaara looked at his brother before glancing at Lee with the most disturbed expression on his face.

Lee cocked his head to side as Gaara looked at him, sandwich halfway in. "Is something bothering you Gaara?

He looked back to his brother and with no explanation he rolled his chair back and made his way out from the patio. Temari kept quiet during the exchange and was not surprised in the least to hear Gaara's words.

Gaara glanced back looking at nothing in particular. "Lee is not my friend."

He looked at Lee straight in the eye and reiterated with an almost crude hostility, "You are not my friend." He left and disappeared from their sight.

When Lee heard those words it was like the world came crashing down on him. It wasn't just the words, but the way they were said. Only once had those same words been uttered with such hatred and animosity. It was the last time he'd seen Deidara cry. The last time he saw the tiny spark left in his eyes before it became dull and full of bitter rancor.

"Hey Lee, are you okay?" Kankuro noticed the glazed look that took over his eyes and couldn't help but feel bad. This lack of social interaction turned his brother into a complete dunce.

Temari walked over to Lee and shook his shoulder. "Kid, don't take it the wrong way. He just doesn't know the basics of how to get a friend. He probably doesn't even understand that what he wants is to be your friend. This is all new to him."

Lee looked at Temari and back to the empty doorway from which Gaara had left through. "Yes! You are right, Temari! He has been secluded from the outside world and must find it hard to interact with other people on a friendly basis. I shall try to demonstrate to him that it is not hard to make a friend! Yosh!" He tried to muster the most convincing smile he could, satisfied that they both seemed to have bought it. Those words hurt him. They hurt so much both then and now.

Neither Temari nor Kankuro were as deceived as Lee believed them to be, but just gave each other a look that told them something was not right.

Lee glanced down to his plate and before either of the Sabaku siblings could ask anything, he voiced out a question that was continuing to bug him. "Would Gaara truly fire Iruka and the rest of the landscaping workers if I decided to not stay?" He looked up to both of them and noticed a silent exchange between them.

"Well, since he's the one who hired them in the first place, then yeah he would."

Lee's eyes widened a bit. "He hired them? Not your father?"

Taking another bite, the brunet spoke between mouthfuls. "Father never took an interest in plants or gardens and shit…Gaara did though for some reason and when he was fifteen he called a number he got from a bulletin board and hired them. We never really asked why though," he took a sip of his lemonade and went back to devouring the remaining sandwiches on the tray.

Lee hummed, intrigued. He continued eating, taking small bites from his food when he decided he needed to have a chat with his future red headed friend. He wouldn't let those words get to him a second time, not before Gaara actually took his time to get to know him and he in turn took his time in getting to know Gaara.

"Could I go speak to him?" He inquired both siblings who were enjoying the remaining of their meals.

"Go ahead," the brunet responded, his eyes and mouth never once deviating from the food.

Lee excused himself, laughing along the way as Kankuro yelped for Temari once again seemed to have smacked him for his lack of manners and barbaric eating etiquettes.

The sounds receded as he made his way inside following the path back from where Temari had dragged him through. He stopped in the middle of the staircase when he realized he didn't even know where Gaara's room was let alone know if he was even in his room in the first place. Deciding to just take a chance, he chose to wander around aimlessly and if in that journey he found who he was looking for, then better for him. He'd found out in recent years that the less you look for something, the better chances you get in finding what you were looking for.

He went back down the stairs and followed his feet to an unknown destination among the reddish-brown walls. Every now and then he would stop to admire a piece of artwork that hung proudly on the wall. He didn't know much about art, but he could appreciate something that was made hundreds of years ago before his time with only a human hand. It never ceased to amaze him of the capabilities human beings have to learn a craft and master it to pure perfection.

Every time he found an open room he would curiously walk inside. The place left him in awe for its magnitude, its intricate decorations, its view outside the windows. It felt surreal walking and experiencing the good and rich side of life for once and by the looks of it, it was greener on the other side of the fence, but he knew that the phrase did not apply to the people inside.

On his perusal there was one thing which kept being constant in the house. In every room he'd explored, there was always, without fail, a bouquet of Red Gerbera Daisies. All of them were fresh and placed in the middle of the room, contrasting beautifully against the dark sandy colored surfaces of the furniture.

No matter how much he walked, he continued to encounter new rooms and would stay in them for long periods of time. He'd even walked into one of the bathrooms and sat on the edge of a Jacuzzi shaking his head at the enormity of it. His whole apartment could probably fit in that single bathroom.

After walking throughout a large expanse of the first floor, he found a room that just left him breathless. Ever since he was young, he liked reading stories and always imagined having a room full of books where he could just sit and sip a cup of tea while having a good read, but the library room he'd just stepped into went far beyond his dream bookcase.

The size of the room was far wider and taller than the libraries he was accustomed to going to. The walls were practically made out of the shelves that encircled the room up until the ceiling. The spines of book, after book, after book met his eyesight, both antique looking and recently bought. There were two floors housing the books. Near the window a rusted staircase spiraled upwards and opened up into a five foot wide flooring with a rail that looked onto the most beautiful view he had ever seen.

The window, which made him feel small in comparison, stretched as wide as a complete wall both vertically and horizontally and outside laid a breathtaking scene. Hundreds and hundreds varying colors of flowers decorated the outline of a small pond. The pond was dipped into a lower land surface than the rest of the surrounding ground and the flowers escalated into steps, each holding a different set of solid color.

A small brick walkway led from the top to the last step where one could sit and dip their feet in the water. The afternoon glow of the sun glistened on the liquid surface reflecting the myriad shades of color.

"What are you doing here?" Lee's awestruck moment was broken as he was startled by the voice coming from the back of the room. The red head came from the shadow of his favorite corner in the house looking less upset than when he walked off from the patio.

Lee turned and became face to face with the person he was initially searching for. "I am so sorry if I have interrupted you, Gaara, but I was searching for you."

"Why?" He scowled. "I do not want to see you right now."

Lee sighed. "This is why, Gaara. I do not seem to understand why you are acting like this. I can pack my stuff and leave if my presence offen-"

"No!" Gaara cut him short as his is hand curled into a fist. "I told you that you would stay here."

"Then why is it that you are avoiding me and getting mad? Did I do something wrong?" The confusion was making Lee's head hurt. "Do you not want to be my friend?"

Teal eyes narrowed. "Did you not hear me? You are not my friend."

A disbelieving laugh left Lee's lips. He couldn't believe it! Then what did Gaara want to accomplish by having him move to his home? "Then what the heck am I doing here, Gaara? Why, pray tell, did you ask me to touch you when I first came into the house? No, no. Before you answer that, why did you even come between Deidara and me? Why did you take a bullet that was not meant for you? Why did you _intervene_?" Lee uttered the last words in a high pitch, his arms flailing in front of him.

Gaara continued to watch him in silence, his mind silently liking the way Lee slowly lost his cool, but he contemplated what he'd just asked. The answers to his questions were something he didn't even know himself, but he did know why he wanted him near him.

"I told you. Why I intervened is none of your concern." The gruffness in his voice sent Lee into a frenzy.

Lee's eyes narrowed, but he did not let his anger show. Not again. "You have to answer me Gaara or I will be forced to assume that this was a suicide attempt and will pass this information to your sister."

"You wouldn't dare."

The brunet approached Gaara and crouched down in front of him. "I will do it. It is a serious problem if that was your intention, but I have a feeling that it is not the real reason. Please tell me. What prompted you to do that?"

Gaara stared at those black inquisitive orbs. He remained silent for a few seconds before gazing out the window, purposely averting his eyes from Lee's.

"I don't know."

"You do not know what?" Lee's voice was gentle, no longer raging with confused anger.

Teal locked with black. "I don't know why I involved myself in your fight."

Lee nodded. Okay he could work with him to figure it out later. "Then why am I here?"

The response was quick, without hesitation. "You intrigue me."

Bushy eyebrows sprang to life, raising high on the forehead. "I do? How?"

Once again, Gaara took a moment before answering. "Why do you smile constantly?"

"Why? Well because things make me happy."

"But your eyes aren't happy."

It was Lee's turn to avert his eyes. "Of course they are," he lied.

"You're lying. Why?"

Chuckling, Lee walked over to the window and sat cross legged in front of it. "I thought I was the one asking the questions."

Gaara stayed in the same spot, but followed every of Lee's movements. "You are going to keep asking me this if I do not answer right now, right?" There was only silence which Lee took as a confirmation to his question. He exhaled before answering, his eyes never leaving the lavished garden.

"I do not want people to worry about me."

Gaara hummed, a signal for Lee to continue. "After the accident, after Gai's death, things were not…pretty. I began to have reoccurring nightmares every night which would leave me drenched in sweat. Usually, I woke up alone since I practically lived in the hospital for about six months and visitors had to leave at a certain hour."

The red head listened with intensity, never taking his eyes off of Lee's back. "What were the nightmares about?"

Lee turned and finally looked at Gaara. Even though there was a relatively big distance between them, Gaara noticed the way Lee's eyes clouded up in pain. Wanting to be closer to the raven head, he inched his wheelchair closer until he was right next to him.

Lee shrugged. He didn't need to go into specifics. Black orbs turned back to the scenery as he answered. "My childhood was not so…peachy. My parents passed away a few years after I was born, and well, my appearance was not what you call pleasing and as you can probably guess I was teased and bullied quite a lot."

Without intending to, Gaara grunted indignantly at that. "I think you look fine." He chanced a look sideways when he heard Lee laugh and for a brief moment he let a small smile show through. The laugh sounded so genuine, so melodious.

"Thank you Gaara. You look fine yourself." He only noticed after he blurted that statement out that the word _fine _could be misconstrued into another implication, but thankfully Gaara did not seem to take it into another meaning than what it denotatively stood for.

"A lot of the nightmares were usually about the accident. Every time I would wake up just in time when I could feel the impact again in the dream."

A silence ensued between the two of them. One of them was lost in his thoughts of the past while the other took in the information he'd just been given and locked it away for future storage.

"It is beautiful, the garden I mean."

"It is," Gaara concurred as he turned away from the view.

Lee watched as Gaara moved to the back once again and decided to go with another round of questions. "I heard that you were the one who hired Iruka and his business. If you do not mind me asking, can I know why it was you and not your father?"

There was a prolonged silence in the room. Lee decided the question had been ignored and went back to looking outside when, finally, Gaara decided to give just a little of himself after Lee divulged a little of his own.

"My mother…she loved to plant gardens."

"Ah," Lee nodded in understanding.

"She designed that pond herself."

"Your mother was very talented."

"She was. I wanted to have something that would remind me of her."

"She liked daisies," Lee observed after careful examination. They were different colors but all daisies.

"How do you know?"

Lee pointed outside. "There's also a bouquet in almost every room I walked in to today. She must have really liked the red ones, like your hair."

Gaara was surprised to see how observant Lee was. He could remember when his mother would ruffle his locks and say that it was the best color because of its vibrancy and its significance. Red meant love. It meant passion. He was always teased because of his hair by other kids in the playground, but his mother soothed his anger by proclaiming his hair to be the emblem of her love for her baby boy. If she loved it, then outside opinions didn't matter.

"Hey, Gaara?" The red head's thoughts were abruptly stopped when he registered his name being called.

Lee stood and turned to face his companion, a sad looked adorned his features. "Why do you keep saying you are not my friend? Am I not someone worth of that privilege?"

Gaara thought about it. It wasn't that Lee wasn't worth the privilege, it was just that the last time he deemed somebody to be his friend, he'd been hurt in the most awful of ways and it had messed him up mentally. He swore to never trust anybody after Yashamaru.

"You just…can't," he shook his head incessantly. "You'll hurt me like he did."

His feet began to walk on their own accord and before he knew it Lee was standing in front of Gaara.

"I am not your uncle." Gaara raised his head at this. "I am Lee and I would never dream of causing you the pain he did. Please Gaara. You do not have to think of us as friends. We can be close acquaintances, schoolmates, or anything you'd rather see us as, but please let me consider you _my _friend. I would like that very much."

"How do I know you won't hurt me?" He asked lowly, unconvincingly.

"I am not promising to not hurt you because I may do it with the choices I make, the opinions I have and with the words I say, but I would never deceive you into believing I was your friend and stab you in the back later on down the road. There is no guarantee that you will not hurt me either though." Lee smiled down at Gaara and gently grabbed one of his hands in his own.

Gaara's instinct was to pull away from the touch, but he didn't give in to the urge. Instead he stayed still, looking at the union between their hands.

"I promise I will not cause you the physical pain your uncle put you through and I promise to never have you doubt our friendship, and yes, I am calling this a friendship," he gave a squeeze to the paler hand. "I will lavish you with the sentiments and gestures that come with this bond just like I do to all my other friends so please consider calling me a friend too. It does not have to be now, but please do not take away this pleasure from yourself."

Gaara slowly nodded. There was something in Lee's voice that sounded so promising about this whole idea of friendship and his words held a touch of genuineness.

"Alright. You can call me your…friend."

At this Lee's eyes sparkled with mirth and the corner of his lips turned upwards. "Really, Gaara? You will let me?" The red head gave a curt nod and smirked. Despite his intention of wanting to find out more behind those eyes, he couldn't deny that he was finding himself liking Lee's smile, especially this one that was directed at him. It looked real and sincere, not like the ones he saw him force at school.

Before he knew it, Gaara was smothered in an excited embrace before being let go just as quick when Lee remembered that touching Gaara was a no, no.

"I am sorry, Gaara!"

"Lee."

"I was so just excited!"

"Lee."

"This is a wonderful progression toward our friendship!"

Gaara became irritated in being ignored through Lee's excitement. He shot forth, wincing as he forgot about his wound and grabbed Lee's hand pulling him forward. The unexpected pull caught Lee off guard and before he could catch his balance he fell forward towards Gaara. At the last moment he managed to grab onto the wheelchairs hand rests but his momentum caused them to propel backwards and when the chair was stopped abruptly neither of the two boys expected what happened next.

Their lips locked with each other's due to the impact. Teeth clashed against teeth and their eyes grew wide as they stared at each other, but neither seemed to care about the pain or to find the will to separate.

After about five seconds, although it appeared to have been an eternity to them, Lee scurried away clumsily almost falling on his bottom.

Gaara continued to stare into the empty space where Lee once stood. His mind was a tempest in response, spiraling thoughts clashed against each other. He felt a warm dripping near the corner of his lips but he paid it no mind. There was something different about this touch. It had sent what felt like electricity through his body and he itched to experience it again.

Lee on the other hand was in a frenzy as he tried to recover himself from what just happened. Even if it hadn't meant to happen, could that be considered his first kiss? Back with Orochimaru, he prided himself in knowing that his lips were the only thing that was kept off limits. Sure they weren't clean by any means, but that wasn't the point. This was his first contact of lip against lip—and teeth too, which reminded him he was hurting a bit.

"Uh..uh..I am so sorry Gaara! I did not mean to do that, but you just pulled me so suddenly and I did not expect to—"

"Lee!" Gaara had finally come off from his dazed state and was looking intently at Lee.

The older male snapped his eyes at Gaara's direction and gasped. "Oh! You are bleeding! I am so sorry Gaara! I did not mean to hurt you, please do not—"

"Lee, get the fuck over here." Lee didn't notice, but he had been slowly backing away from Gaara thinking he'd done it now.

"Huh? Oh! Yes of course." He reluctantly walked back to the proximity of the red head until he was inches away from him.

Gaara shot his arm out and grabbed a handful of Lee's shirt, bringing him down to his level.

Lee brought his hands out and placed them in Gaara's thighs unknowingly for support.

"I am so sorry Gaara!" Lee began to plead.

"Shut up," he silenced Lee who was now looking at Gaara expectantly. He licked the small cut on his lip as his eyes traveled downwards towards Lee's.

_They're supple. _ _And soft, his mind reminded him._

Lee closed his eyes, waiting for the hit to come, but after a few moments he opened them again when nothing happened. His eyes took in the sight before him. Gaara's gaze was smoldering and he couldn't comprehend why.

"What—"

"Do it again."

"Huh?"

"Put your lips against mine again." Without waiting for Lee to respond, he took the initiative and the only thing Lee could do was curl his hands in the denim beneath him and close his eyes.


	10. The Repayment

Disclaimer: Did I go to woodstock? No. A regret that will plague my life because I wasn't born at the right time. So that answers my ownership rights to Naruto.

* * *

If Lee had to describe what was happening in one word, it would be sloppy. For a while, Lee remained still, but once the knowledge of what was occurring on his lips clicked, he tried to push away from Gaara. The red head wouldn't have it though. As soon as he felt the pushing pressure on his chest, he swiftly moved his hand to the back of Lee's head, wrapping his fingers in the soft tresses of black and pressed himself even deeper to those thin lips as if he'd felt them to be a missing part of himself.

They didn't know what to do exactly. There was no movement of the lips typically known for in a kiss; just a press of lips against lips. Gaara didn't care though. He liked it. He liked having Lee's mouth right against his. He liked the feeling that warmed into his chest just being near him. He liked Lee's soft mane. _Oooh_, he liked it a little too much. His fingers curled around the hair and pulled in continuous motions.

Deep in the recesses of the room, a small moan traveled freely. Lee didn't know who made that noise, but he had an inkling that it had vibrated from his own throat. He didn't know he could sound so _wonton_! But the fingers that were carefully and soothingly messaging his scalp felt so good that for a moment, he didn't want it to stop.

He knew this was wrong though. Not about two men kissing each other, but two men who didn't have feelings for each other. They were engaging in an act that Lee regarded almost as sanctity.

He didn't want to do it. He really didn't but he, for one, was a human being and with that came the entitled need for oxygen, which he felt urgently deprived of at the moment. Actually, he didn't know why he was even holding his breath. He could breathe just fine. Which is why, with an internal apology for what he was about to do, he bit rather harshly at the soft, bottom lip.

Gaara, on the other hand did not seem to mind one single bit at the abuse and rather than relinquishing his hold on Lee's lips, a sound akin to a growl emitted from his throat. At the slight part of the older man's lips, Gaara's tongue confidently poked out and traced the seam of Lee's lips, earning him a surprised gasp in return.

Lee opened his eyes as soon as he felt a wet trail being traced on his lips. Eyes becoming cross eyed, he stared in wild astonishment at the man in front of him.

_What is he…this needs to stop. I need to stop this!_ With his resolve growing, Lee finally pushed hard at Gaara's chest while his other hand grabbed the wheelchair's armrest for support. He took an enormous gulp of air as he looked at the ceiling and shakily removed himself from Gaara's vicinity before the other could trap him again.

Lee didn't even want to look at the red head. He could feel the peril behind those colored eyes burning into him as he tried to increase the distance between them.

"Gaara, what are you doing?" He inquired, softly. He was trembling. He didn't know if it was from the shock, the confusion or the rage that was beginning to bubble in the pit of his stomach. Was Gaara making fun of him? Because if he was, the joke was far from being funny and he did not appreciate being used as some tool of entertainment. He had enough of that from people in the past.

Gaara licked his lips in annoyance and countered Lee with the same question. "What are _you_ doing?"

Lee looked up, his eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean, what am _I_ doing? I am stopping this. I will not let myself be an object of amusement for you! Who do you think you are?"

The red head began to move his wheelchair closer to Lee and scowled when said boy scooted further away until his back hit the glass window. He didn't stop though until he was less than two feet away from the trapped man. By this point, his annoyance had turned into ire.

Why was Lee moving away from him? Was he lying? Was he really just scared of him just like every other fucking person?

"I am Gaara Sabaku. The guy who saved your life. You could call this repayment for my noble deed. I believe I deserved it."

Lee slowly stood, his fingers twitching in anger against the glass behind him. Coal, black eyes landed on Gaara, but they were not seeing him at all. There was something in them that made Gaara's rage simmer down and waited patiently for Lee to speak.

"Why would you say that?" Lee's soft, monotonous voice filled the red head's ears. There was no emotion that he could detect and in that moment, for a fraction of second, he regretted his explosive utterance.

"I am _not_ a toy Gaara. I will not be treated as _repayment_," he seethed vehemently. Lee sidestepped, hurtful orbs breaking contact with Gaara's and began to walk away towards the door, never once looking back.

"I will fire them. I will make sure Iruka never gets called again. If you leave, his demise will rest on your conscience."

Lee's hand gripped the door knob tightly and took a deep breath. "I do not need to be threatened twice, Sabaku," and with that he left the room, silently closing the door behind him.

Gaara didn't personally see him for three days after that.

* * *

Kiba wasn't stupid. Sure, he faked ignorance and did stupid stunts, but it was all in good fun. For the past three days he'd kept an eye on Lee's demeanor and there was something totally off about him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the tension and most of all the silence that surrounded his friend. This was not normal for someone as loquacious as Lee. He was getting tired of waiting for him to say something. Taking off his gloves, he shoved his shovel to the soft dirt and made his way towards Lee, who for the life of him had no sense of adornment whatsoever.

"Hey buddy. Need a little help there?"

Lee looked up, a bit startled but recovered with a small smile and nodded. "I am really not made for this am I, Kiba?"

The brunet chuckled as he squatted beside Lee and started taking out the tiles that did not match in color to the ones intended for that particular walkway.

"M'fraid not, man. If it wasn't for the fact that you correctly pick out the color green in things you like, I would say you're color blind."

Lee laughed softly and hummed in agreement.

They worked together in complete silence until Kiba couldn't take it anymore. Call him insensitive, but he liked to know what the fuck was going on. "Alright, man. Spill. What the hell has been on your mind these past few days? I haven't said anything yet 'cause Iruka's been on my ass every time I want to ask, but can you blame me? Even Naruto doesn't know!"

"You called Naruto?" Lee glared at Kiba who was currently scrutinizing every little movement the older man made.

"Yeah, and I'm surprised you haven't. What's going on, Lee. You know you can trust me…don't ya?" Despite his better efforts, Kiba couldn't keep the hurt away from his voice. He knew Naruto and Lee held a bond that not even Sasuke could break, something that transcended blood relations, but he always liked to think that he, along with Neji, were the closest to them both due to how long they'd known each other.

Lee's shoulders sagged. He was not acting like himself and he felt horrible for taking it out on Kiba. He rubbed the back of his neck and sent his friend an apologetic smile. "I am so sorry, Kiba. I did not mean to act that way towards you and of course I trust you! It is just… I do not wish to burden you guys with my problems."

Kiba sighed and turned so that he faced Lee completely. "Look, friends are there to lend you a hand or an ear any time you need it. Got it? I may not be the best at advising, but I got the ears of a dog." He sent Lee a pointed look before continuing. "Now, I am curious as to why you are currently living with these snobby rich folks and I have this inkling that it's a pretty long story that's all connected, so I'll tell you what. After we're done here, we'll go and grab some grub and you can spill your guts out. My treat. Sound Good?"

Lee thought about it for a moment. Maybe this was what he needed. To just talk it out, get everything out of his chest. Well not everything, of course. Just the thing that was really bugging him. Despite all his best efforts, he could not stop replaying that kiss in his mind. He kept telling himself that it was just because it had been his first kiss. That it hadn't been with Sakura—not that he cared so much about her in that sort of way anymore after what she did.

What was really starting to twist his mind were the conflicting emotions that kept surfacing when he thought of Gaara. After three days, he no longer felt the anger that wrapped around him like a blanket in the library room. It was just Gaara's exact choice of words that shut his mind completely and made him see red.

Repayment. That was the exact word Orochimaru used every time Lee was called to spend some quality time with him. _Repaymet_, he would say, _for giving you what you always wanted. A family. A home_. He felt stupid for believing him. How naive and foolish he was.

A completely different conversation would have taken place if Gaara hadn't uttered that word. Unfortunately, he had and just the single thought of it was enough to give him the stealth to evade the red head.

Being lost to his thoughts, he failed to notice the extent of time he took to answer Kiba, whom he registered belatedly, was calling his name repeatedly. Once he took notice, his eyes came into focus and turned towards the brunet's concerned stare. "Thank you, Kiba. I would really appreciate that." He smiled in such a way that made Kiba cringe from the pain Lee could obviously not hide.

Knowing it was best not to push someone to talk, he gave Lee a couple of encouraging pats on his back. "Alright. It's settled then" He went back to picking out the misplaced tiles, handing them to his friend. "Let's finish this quickly so we can go eat. I could devour a horse right now."

Lee chuckled as he placed the tiles neatly a few feet away, but stopped when he felt the strange sensation that he was being watched. For the past three days he could feel eyes boring onto his back. Taking a surreptitious glance around, Lee stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed a particular window.

The library.

Maybe it was the blinding sun conjuring up shadows in his vision, but he could have sworn, for a brief second, to have seen the silhouette of a person looking directly his way.

* * *

The moment the clock struck six, Kiba stuck the shovel into the ground, emitting a victorious _thank god _and began loading the truck with his tools. Lee was just behind clearing everything as fast as he could. When the brunet latched the door shut, he turned to his black haired companion with a grin.

"Alright Fuzzy Brows what will it be? Fast food, buffet, fancy shmancy…"

Lee chuckled lightly as he headed towards the passenger seat. "You really want to go to a fancy restaurant smelling and looking like you have been wrestling with pigs?"

"Honestly, man I don't care as long as something is going down my throat and to my stomach. But I'm really craving some of that Chinese spicy chicken, unless you prefer somethin' else."

Buckling himself in, Lee shook his head. "That is fine, my friend. It is your treat after all."

Kiba hummed gladly, starting the engine and driving off as soon as he hit first gear. His little intestines were about to devour his big intestines and he didn't think he was ready for the repercussions that would ensue.

The drive to the nearest buffet was done in a non-conversational manner. The music created a comfortable background and both men sang along when the verse they knew came on. They would laugh when they were off key and Kiba would smack Lee's head when he was about to crack a window and his eardrums.

When they arrived, they ignore the disapproving looks from the personnel and the other patrons, but silently agreed on getting take-out. Eating in discomfort was not worth it. After paying the meals they headed back to the truck and headed to the nearest park where they could eat in peace and talk without prying eyes and ears.

Kiba was being serious when he said he could devour a horse. In a record time of five minutes did he finish every single calorie on his plate, down to the last grain of rice. Lee on the other hand, ate at a much slower pace and the brunet patiently waited, watching with interest all those who passed by them.

The moment he felt Lee gathering up the boxes, he moved his gaze toward the black-haired male, following his every movement. When Lee sat down, he twined his fingers together, glanced up at the expectant sharp gaze of the Inuzuka, took a deep breath and began his tale.

* * *

Kiba took in all the information attentively. From the night at the game, to the fight and the move in, he was in shock to say the least.

"Shit man, that's…" the brunet was at a loss for words, "that's the kind of stuff you see in movies. To think you're living it, that's crazy." Kiba was lying on his back, his eyes turned upwards toward the blackened sky. It had already become so late. He didn't even notice the time go by.

Lee only hummed gently, the sound indiscernible from the rustling of the earth. He was still sitting indian-style, waiting. For what, he didn't know, but his shoulders felt lighter, tensionless and slumped. It was like half of the world's weight had been stripped down, though the other half he would need to endure.

There were some things better left unsaid. Better left unknown. Things he knew would scare off every single individual who listened and just as quickly as it had left, a new weight to recompense the previously lost one emerged, bringing him right to the very beginning.

Kiba, unaware of the mood to his left, broke the silence first. It may be summer, but the refreshing, chilly nights never failed the town and they both needed to rest.

He stood up and stretched his arms far above his head accompanied by a grateful sigh as his bones popped wonderfully. He looked down at disheveled black tresses and smiled as a bronze hand dove into the locks massaging the scalp soothingly.

Lee startled at the contact and locked eyes with Kiba's as he crouched down before him. "You feel better, bud?"

If Lee was to be truthful, he would have said no. No, he was not. He was confused, angry, surprised, tense, terrified. He was anything but better.

There was no way he would admit this though, and so with a practiced smile that hid every emotion raging through his veins, he told his friend, _yes_.

"A whole lot better, my dear friend. Thank you for listening."

Kiba grinned, honestly believing the verbal lie and smacked playfully on his back as they walked back to the truck.

As they rode, Lee listened absent-mindedly to Kiba's singing. He was tired and debating on whether or not to take a shower. He was afraid he might knock out under the spray and sleep there the whole night.

When they arrived to the front gates, Lee was preparing to shut the passenger door behind him when Kiba's voice stopped him.

"Hey, Lee?"

"Yes, Kiba?"

"I may not be an expert on these matters, but I think Gaara likes you."

Lee scrunched up his nose in disbelief. "I really doubt it. He seems to be just making fun of me. He is treating me as repayment, remember?"

"I know, but…" brown eyes shifted slightly above Lee's head and Kiba smirked. "it's common for people to bully the one they like. Look at Naruto and Sasuke."

The older male looked at Kiba strangely. "But that is different. They at least spoke civilly and were actually friends. Gaara just ignores me and tells me to get out of his sight and does not direct hardly any conversation towards me and contradicts himself when he tells me to touch him one second and to leave him alone the next."

Kiba killed the engine and shifted more comfortably in his seat. "First of all, you've been ignoring _him_ these past few days so you don't know if he actually wanted to have a conversation with you. Secondly, you have to remember that they guy is fucking nuts. He has no friends so his social advances are not conventional. Thirdly, all things that you mentioned right now are forms of bullying. He might not know he's doing it, but if he gets a reaction out of you then he's doing it right. M'not saying bullying _is_ right; it's just human nature basically. He wants you to pay attention to him so he'll piss you off and throw you off your wagon every now and then to get it."

Lee sighed and shook his head. "I really think you are wrong, Kiba but you are entitled to your own opinion. Thank you for the meal. I will see you later." He shut the door in the middle of Kiba's sentence. He did not want to hear any more.

Kiba watched Lee's back as he made his way back inside the mansion. He could only deduce Gaara's repressed feelings from what Lee told him, but evidence was always nice to have. That person he just saw in the lighted window a few moments ago could only be one person.

* * *

He knew how he looked. He was reminded of it quite frequently. People didn't find Lee attractive. He knew it for himself so the idea that Gaara might actually like him—_like_ him, like him—in that sense was absurd. All he wanted was to be Gaara's friend. But he was making it so difficult.

Kiba was right about one thing though. He was avoiding Gaara. He was evading him like the plague and he had to stop. He needed to show Gaara that there are certain things you don't do to people and one of those was to play with another's emotions.

He made his way through the house, his destination—his bed. He could live without a shower for one day in his life. When he walked into his room, he didn't even bother to turn on the light. He already had the layout of the room memorized and kept it quite clean so he wasn't afraid of falling or bumping into anything.

The moment he snuggled under the cover—for the A/C was on low in temperature—he was already more than half asleep. Something began to nag at him though. He wanted to ignore it. He wanted to sleep in a deep slumber. He wanted to tell those stupid senses, which had been dormant for years, to scram. But alas, the inkling would not leave him alone.

Lee rose from his bed slowly. The silence he was accustomed with was not the same. It was lulling. It was quiet. Silent, his room was not.

He could hear music. It was gentle and almost inaudible, but he could pick out the guitar strums, the low intonations of one of his favorite songs. His dark eyes moved quickly to the other side of the room where his records lay.

He knew. Without even seeing the silhouette, he knew that _he_ was there. "Gaara, what are you doing in my room?"

There was no response, but he could hear the slight shifting in the couch.

Unlike Lee, Gaara could see Lee's obscured form with the help of the moon's light that shone upon the bed. He honestly didn't remember why he even walked into the bedroom in the first place. Maybe he was waiting for the older boy. Maybe he was tired of being ignored. Maybe Lee was a witch and had cast a spell on him. There was no clear answer so he gave the most logical one.

"Last time I checked this was my house."

The sleepy one furrowed his eyebrows. _He's going to start with that again?_

"You have a wide taste in music." Maybe he didn't know why he was there, but he did know for how long. He'd spent the last four hours since Lee left with one of the other workers being curled up on his couch listening to album after album. Some sat quite well with him like the one filling the speechless gap in the room. The lyrics made no sense, but it was soothing.

Lee didn't know what to say. _Was that a compliment?_

"Uh, thank you…I suppose."

"What is the song called?"

"Ummm…" Lee wracked his brain for a minute. It was one of his favorites, but his memory was not cooperating. "Flightless Bird."

"Hn. It's nice."

His body protested. His entire will was going against it, but Lee stood up and made his way towards his snooping companion. "You have just been here listening to my music?"

Gaara scooted all the way to the armrest when he saw Lee coming. He winced a little when he pushed too far, but he was glad to have gotten rid of the wheelchair.

"Yes."

"You find any in particular that you liked?" Lee asked softly, his voice slurring a little.

The red head glanced at Lee's direction, though it was like looking at a black wall. He couldn't see him at all since this side of the room was completely devoid of light.

"A few. I can't remember the names though."

Lee smiled sleepily. "Ah. You can borrow them if you would like to listen to them again." He laid his head back against the couch, his eyes drooping, though he tried exceptionally hard to keep them open.

Gaara remained silent. He could feel Lee's presence right next to him and it was taking everything in his power to keep from moving closer to that warmth, which he could feel even from the small distance between them.

It was a while before he spoke again. "Lee?"

There was no answer.

He called out again, a little louder this time.

"Lee?"

Just the melody of a piano and soft, even breathing was his response.

Gaara scowled and reached for the lamp right beside him. The flick of the light was loud and light inundated the room. When he turned back, the sour expression on his face immediately dropped. Lee was far gone into the realms of sleep.

He was there. Right beside him. His entire body faced the younger man. His hair was messy and skin was dirtied from the sweat and grime of the day. He was in a crisscross position with his hands circling his waist protectively. Probably from the cold.

When teal eyes rested upon Lee's face, something in his chest pulled. Somehow, Lee looked so small. So fragile and unguarded. So unlike himself in his waking hours.

Gaara moved by mere instinct. Slowly, he crawled his way until he was kneeling right in front of the sleeping man. Just like the first night when he snuck into his hospital room, he took in every single feature his eyes could see. Never bypassing an inch.

Without his knowledge, his pale hand lifted and gingerly traced the sharp nose. His fingers moved on their own accord tracing eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks and jaw. Finally, the pads of his wandering fingertips found their way to Lee's lips.

They were dry, cracked and slightly opened. He could feel the small puffs of hot air as Lee exhaled. He ran his fingers from the bottom lip to the top and back down again, mesmerized.

He had kissed these lips. He had moved against them and he had _liked_ it.

_Pang._

There. That feeling again. With the hand that was not currently paving their way on Lee's lips, he grasped the afflicted area in his chest.

Lee stirred a little. His lips tickled and with a reflexive swipe of the tongue he relieved the sensation, Gaara's finger included.

The red head backed off surprisingly fast and stared at his molested digit. He looked back at Lee and shook his head in annoyance.

He got up to leave and was a few feet away from the door when he turned back. Stripping the bed of its blanket, he made his way back to the couch and covered Lee. He stopped and instantly wondered why he was even bothering.

He glanced at Lee again and watched as the boy somehow sensed the instant warmth and began to snuggle comfortably against the couch once again.

_Pang._

He growled. _What the hell is this? _He backed off and stormed out of the room.

Only when he was in his own bed did he remember the reason for going into Lee's room in the first place.

Temari's aggravating voice was instantly in his head.

_You can't treat people like that! They aren't possessions! You should apologize if you don't want him to keep on ignoring you, You can't just take, Gaara. In order to have any type of relationship you have to give as well and Lee is trying to teach you that. Don't fuck up._

He forgot to apologize.


End file.
